Deep and Meaningful
by cheekybeak
Summary: Elladan, Elrohir and Glofindel take a trip to Mirkwood. One of them has a spider fetish and another ends up on a shortlist of Thranduil's lovers. How did it all go so wrong?
1. Chapter 1

Glorfindel could not remember when he had ever been more stressed.

Perhaps during 'The Hair' situation? No, this was worse than even that. He reluctantly admitted facing the Balrog may have been slightly more terrifying…..but not by much. Every step he took closer to Thranduil's Halls filled him with dread. If only he could have managed to get himself out of this. He had certainly tried hard enough. He remembered back to his last conversation with Elrond about the subject, the last of many.

" This is my final word Glorfindel. You will be going to Mirkwood. I will hear no more on the subject."

" But surely your sons will be fine on their own. They do not need my supervision." Glorfindel argued. He was not giving up without a fight.

" Are you mad?" Elrond was rather astonished at that particular statement. " Elrohir is not 'fine on his own' anywhere. I have to make some show of trying to keep him under control."

"Elladan will be with him, he will keep him out of trouble."

Elrond sighed. " When has Elladan ever been able to keep his brother out of trouble. He just spends his time running around providing cover stories for him. Thranduil is not stupid. He will see right through that and you know as well as I do Elladan is a hopeless liar. Besides, I thought you would want to be with him?"

" Ah…" Glorfindel struggled desperately to find some thing else to say that might make sense. " it would be good for him to have his independence from me for awhile I think. Develop his character. Maybe Erestor could go with them?"

"I need Erestor here!" Elrond was adamant. " If he goes who will write everything down?"

"I will!" Glorfindel cried in desperation, "Send Erestor and I will be your scribe while he is gone."

"Don't be ridiculous Glorfindel. You are always telling me how boring and tedious you would find that. You are going to Mirkwood, I will have no more arguments. I thought it would be right up your alley. You frequently complain about the lack of excitement here."

So he had gotten nowhere with Elrond. He had even spent time pleading with Erestor to take his place but Erestor wouldn't be budged. He had said there was nothing in this world that would entice him anywhere near Mirkwood. Glorfindel still had no idea why Erestor seemed to have developed this aggressive Wood-Elf phobia.

So here he was, on his way to Mirkwood and hours away from his doom. Whatever it was Thranduil would do about the fact Glorfindel had accidentally converted his son and numerous other wood elves to a secret cult worshiping the Giant Eagles you could guarantee it would not be pretty. Not pretty at all.

Not for the first time Glorfindel wondered how on earth this had ever happened. But it got worse, for what if Thranduil had had one of those frequent visits from Thorondor, Elrohir had told him of. What then for Glorfindel? It didn't bear thinking about.

…

Elrohir was nervous. They had entered Mirkwood sometime ago, surely the Wood-Elves would appear soon to escort them to the Kings Halls. He was rather surprised there had yet been no sign of them. He found he was unexpectedly excited at the idea of seeing Legolas again. He was just so …..different, thrilling and exhilarating.

He glanced over to Glorfindel who was looking more tense by the minute and was rather worryingly mumbling to himself. Elrohir leaned closer to him trying to catch what it was he was saying but only managed to overhear the odd word. Something like "….Eagles….you fool…Thorondor….."

Elrohir smiled happily to himself. This was so good. Glorfindel was falling to pieces and he got to observe it. Legolas had been right, subtle was the way to go with his revenge! Suddenly without so much as a sound to alert Elrohir to their presence a group of Wood Elves dropped out of the trees in front them and stood, bows drawn, arrows pointing towards the Imladris elves. Elrohir's horse reared and he was so startled he almost fell, just managing to recover his balance in time.

Elrohir gazed, stunned, at the wood elves. How had they managed to get so close to them without them knowing? His eyes were drawn to the central figure who's blonde hair was glowing in the dark of the wood. It was Legolas! His heart leapt in his chest and his face broke into a broad smile.

" Legolas!" He exclaimed.

But Legolas simply glanced over them cooly. He did not acknowledge Elrohir at all, in fact his attention was all on Glorfindel.

" Lord Glorfindel." Legolas lowered his bow and bowed slightly. " Welcome to the wood. It is an honour to have you here, and Lords Elladan and Elrohir also." Elrohir frowned, still Legolas did not look at him.

" The honour is all ours Legolas," Glorfindel replied returning his bow.

" We shall escort you to my Fathers Halls, he is very eager to meet you," Legolas said lightly. Glorfindel's face drained of all colour at that.

" Is he?" He squeaked. It did not sound very manly at all and Elrohir thought he saw a look of amusement flit across Legolas's otherwise composed face.

"Oh yes. My men will go ahead of us and I will come with you," Legolas continued.

Elrohir was confused. Legolas and his men were on foot. How would that work?

"Where is your horse?" He blurted out.

Legolas threw him a withering glance which made him feel like a complete idiot and let out a sharp whistle. As if by magic a horse emerged on cue from the depths of the trees. Elrohir blushed bright red with embarrassment . It was not his fault he did not know how these wood-elves did things. He had been really looking forward to seeing Legolas, why was he behaving like such an arse.

" And how do you think your men will manage to keep ahead of us when we are on horseback and they are on foot?" He said sarcastically. Let Legolas explain that.

Legolas threw back his head and laughed. Elrohir scowled, he was laughing at him now?

" In the trees, just as we have been above your heads since you first entered the forest!" And he leapt upon his horse and did not give Elrohir so much as a backward glance. Elrohir fumed angrily to himself. He was not going to put up with being treated like this. Who did Legolas think he was? He brooded on it throughout the rest of the trip to the halls, only pausing to leave his dark thoughts when he saw Glorfindel casually lean over and speak to Legolas.

"So Legolas, has your father seen Thorondur lately?"

How Legolas managed to keep his face straight as he replied Elrohir didn't know.

" Oh I am not sure Glorfindel, I have been away in the south so perhaps. If you wanted to see him while you are here I am sure Father could arrange it." He smiled sweetly while Glorfindel managed to gasp out that would not be necessary, and finally, finally Legolas threw Elrohir a glance of shared merriment. But as soon as he saw it, the look was gone and Elrohir was left wondering, had he just imagined that?

Why could Legolas not just simply admit he was pleased to see him?

Unless he wasn't.

…..

Elladan sat and watched as Glorfindel paced endlessly back and forth across the room.

" Please sit down Glorfindel, you are making me dizzy. Why are you so uptight? All is going well so far."

He didn't think he had ever seen Glorfindel this tense and stressed, even during the problems with his hair and goodness knows that had been bad. Elladan had no idea what was bothering him.

Legolas had escorted them to Thranduil's halls with Glorfindel growing more and more distressed by the minute. When they had arrived it had turned out Thranduil was busy meeting with someone about a vital issue, the explanation of which Elladan had not quite been able to follow, so Legolas had shown them to their rooms and departed saying he would be back to take them to the King shortly. Elladan deposited his things in his room quickly and came straight to see Glorfindel who was so anxious he thought he might internally combust.

" You don't understand Elladan," Glorfindel said not even stopping his pacing to speak, "There has been a terrible misunderstanding."

"Misunderstanding? We haven't even done anything yet. We have only seen Legolas and he doesn't seem to be upset at all."

" It is not Legolas that is the problem." Glorfindel muttered.

Elladan knew Glorfindel had been very reluctant to come on this trip in the first place and try as he might he had not been able to get him to disclose exactly why. All he would say was that it was a personal matter that bothered him.

Elladan furrowed his brow in concentration. What could it be? Obviously something very serious. But not Legolas so that meant it must be something to do with Thranduil. As far as he knew Glorfindel had only met Thranduil the once before, at the Last Alliance and not at all since then so how could there be any personal issues between them?

Suddenly a thought occurred to him. Perhaps this was it.

" Glorfindel" he exclaimed, excited he might finally have solved the problem. " Were you lovers?"

Glorfindel looked up and finally his pacing came to a dead stop.

"What?!"

"You and Thranduil, at the Last Alliance, Is that the problem?" Suddenly this all made perfect sense. This must be it!

"No, no, Elladan," Glorfindel looked horrified and Elladan felt a rush of sympathy toward him. He must be worried about meeting Thranduil again after all these years, especially with Elladan along side him. He sought to reassure him.

"It doesn't matter Glorfindel, I am not jealous. It was years ago. I don't mind." And he smiled brightly to try and put Glorfindel at ease.

Glorfindel desperately shook his head.

"You have it wrong. It is not that at all. Elladan you are not understanding."

So he was not worried about Elladan being jealous then. Well that was a relief at least.

" Did it all end badly Glorfindel? Is that why you are reluctant to meet him again?" Elladan could see that happening too. In the middle of battle, getting carried away, yes things would be awkward when they met again hundreds of years later.

" You know it will be just as bad for Thranduil, perhaps that is why he delays meeting us?" He added helpfully.

Glorfindel spun around angrily to face him.

" That is ENOUGH. I do not want to hear anything more about this." He resumed his pacing.

" I think I will be better alone Elladan. Perhaps you should go and check Elrohir is not causing a political disturbance somewhere."

Elladan was a bit taken aback by Glorfindel's anger. So he really was touchy about this, well if he didn't want to discuss it he would respect that. He began to back out the door but couldn't resist trying to reassure Glorfindel one last time.

"I just think-"

"NO MORE, Elladan! I do not want you uttering another word about this! Not one word!"

"Yes. Glorfindel, of course…" Elladan knew when he was getting nowhere and beat a hasty retreat out the door before Glorfindel really did explode. Closing it behind him he leant back against the wall to gather his thoughts.

Well, well, Glorfindel and Thranduil…that was a turn up for the books!


	2. Chapter 2

Elrohir sat moodily in His room. He had had enough of this place already and as for Legolas, well he wasn't going to waste any more of his time on him. He had made it quite clear he was interested in Elrohir no longer.

There was a knock on his door and Elladan walked in. He was looking quite excited. It was alright for him, Elrohir thought grumpily, he had Glorfindel.

" Elrohir, I am glad to see you are safely here and not running about getting in to trouble."

Elrohir scowled. " Where would I go, even if I wanted to? Of course I am still here sitting, waiting for these Wood-Elves to be bothered greeting us properly."

"Don't be so miserable," Elladan said earnestly. "You have been looking forward to this for ages."

"Well I was mistaken." Elrohir was feeling extremely grumpy and uncooperative.

"Cheer up!" Elladan looked ridiculously pleased with himself.

"I know something that will make you laugh.." He hesitated, " But perhaps I should not say.."

Elrohir leaned forward. What did Elladan know? He could never resist finding out a secret.

" Come now Brother, surely you would not keep secrets from me?"

Elladan dithered unsure of what to do.

"Well he did say he didn't want to hear one more word…but I think that meant to him, He didn't actually say I shouldn't tell you…"

Elrohir was very intrigued now, It must be about Glorfindel.

"Tell me then Brother!"

"Well," Elladan settled back to tell his story. " You know Glorfindel is quite tense. He is not happy about being here at all."

"I know, I know," Elrohir just wanted his brother to get to the juicy part of the story.

"Well I have found out why!" Elladan said triumphantly.

Elrohir was taken aback. Elladan had found him out? He seemed too content to have done that. He was sure Elladan would not be very impressed with his and Legolas's little plot about the Eagles.

"Why….." He said rather cautiously.

"You won't believe it Elrohir," Elladan was tense with excitement.

" Glorfindel and Thranduil were lovers once."

Elrohir laughed out loud. " I don't think so Brother!" Where on earth had his brother got that ludicrous idea from?

" Don't you realise how ridiculous that sounds. They have only met each other once!"

" Yes, The Last Alliance. Is it really so odd? In a battle…you know how it is…."

"I do…"

Elrohir pondered on it. Perhaps it could make sense, Warriors after the heat of battle, he had experienced that himself before. But Glorfindel and Thranduil? Something about it just felt off, an annoying niggle in the back of his mind.

"Are you sure? There could be some other reason he is so tense?"

Until now Elrohir could have sworn Glorfindel was only so worked up because of the Eagle trick.

" and why are you not worried about this? Are you not the slightest bit jealous?"

" He said I have no reason to be…..when I bought that up, he said I was not understanding, that there was nothing to worry about so I am not. It all ended badly it seems anyway Elrohir. That is why he is so nervous. I think they quarrelled or something, perhaps in the cold light of day neither of them wanted it…?"

Elrohir frowned. Elladan seemed very sure, and it looked like he had discussed this with Glorfindel himself. He wondered if Legolas had known about this all along. It certainly added another layer to their ruse, it was just the kind of clever thing he may have incorporated. But then why had he not told Elrohir? Did he not trust him?

"Anyway," Elladan stood up to leave. "I should go back to him. If I reassure him you are not creating havoc it will ease his mind somewhat."

He turned to face Elrohir as he exited,

"Don't tell him I told you, please, he is so stressed about it all."

Elrohir pondered Elladan's latest news long and hard after he left. The more he thought about it the more it made sense, the annoying niggle in his brain faded away. He was still deep in thought when there was another hard rap at his door. He sighed. Who could that be now?

He was rather astonished when opening the door revealed Legolas grinning madly in front of him.

" Elrohir! It is SO good to see you." And he reached out to embrace him.

Elrohir took two rapid steps back.

" What do you mean it is good to see me? You have not seemed remotely interested before now." He snapped.

Legolas hovered uncertainly in the doorway, looking rather perplexed.

"Of course I am pleased. Why would I not be?"

Elrohir rolled his eyes.

"You had better come in if we are to talk about this" he said and reached past Legolas closing the door firmly behind him.

" I wonder how you think I would believe you wished to see me when you have ignored me ever since we first met today."

Legolas frowned, " What do you mean? I was on duty. I had to be professional and act as a prince. It would have looked very odd had I dropped my weapons and kissed you would it not?"

Elrohir grudgingly had to admit he had a point there.

" But you did not have to completely ignore me. Laugh at me even!"

Legolas smiled at him and Elrohir wished he did not find that smile quite so disarming. It was very hard to stay angry.

" But you were funny, I could not help but laugh! You thought we could not keep up with you in the trees, it was so silly Elrohir!"

" It was not silly." Elrohir was very indignant. "I am not a Wood Elf. How do I know what you are capable of. You were rude. I assumed you had completely gone off me, whatever we had was not serious after all." And he scowled at Legolas moodily.

"I have not gone off you." Legolas sighed, " I was hoping you might liven things up for me here. Speaking of that.." And quick as a flash he lit up with excitement as if their tense discussion had not even happened,

"Glorfindel seems extremely wound up does he not?" Legolas's grin was a very mischievous one. "I think our plan has been working extremely well, better than I had even hoped, for I did not foresee your Father would send Glorfindel here! It really could not be better."

Legolas's excitement was catching and Elrohir found himself completely forgetting his disconsolate mood.

"You are right," he agreed, "He is beside himself, you have no idea how hard he argued not to have to come here. Why ever did you not tell me about him and your Father though? It would have made it even more fun to watch him had I known."

"What do you mean?" Legolas seemed somewhat confused.

Elrohir forgot himself in his enthusiasm.

" That they were lovers, that he would be so terrified of them meeting again. It was very clever of you to –"

"- What do you speak of?" Legolas cut him off in mid sentence. All of a sudden he was rigid and angry.

" My Father and Glorfindel are not lovers. I would ask you to stop repeating this slander."

Too late Elrohir realised he should have been more careful and held his tongue. Legolas did not know, he obviously did not even have a clue.

" I am sorry, I thought you would know," he stumbled over his words trying to put it right. "Elladan told me….only just now….at The Last Alliance he said."

"Well he lies!" Legolas was furious "I will go and see him now and he can take this back or he will have me to answer to!" He spun round and headed for the door.

"Wait!" Elrohir grasped Legolas by the arm, "Elladan would not lie. He does not, he is terrible at it. He said Glorfindel himself had told him, I promise you if Elladan says this then it must be true."

Legolas was shaking he was so angry.

" …and I tell you it is not. ….At the Last Alliance…..my father…he was with my mother then. He would not have! He would not! ….Why, he has never even so much as looked at men that way before…"

Elrohir suddenly realised he may have gotten in too deep here. He had no idea how to fix this. He patted Legolas's arm rather ineffectually, trying to calm him down.

"Neither had Elladan…before Glorfindel came along, you must admit Glorfindel is glorious. Perhaps your Father….well your Grandfather had died, he would have been upset, perhaps it just…happened. Elladan says it seems things ended badly. I am sure your father must have regretted it when he came to his senses. That would be why Glorfindel is so frightened to meet him."

All the fight seemed to drain out of Legolas. His shoulders slumped miserably.

" He would not do that. He would have told me if he had."

Elrohir tried again.

"I thought you Silvans…..well we have heard….." He was struggling for a way to say this without causing offence and making things even worse, "you are….free, you know….with others…you do not mind…that is….." And he ran out of steam and stopped before he managed to put his foot in it yet again.

" My father is not Silvan!" Legolas snapped back " Do not think because you know me, he is the same, he is not, he does not subscribe to that way of thinking!"

"If he were ashamed?..."

Legolas raised his head and looked Elrohir in the eye.

" You have not met my Father. He is not ashamed of anything." He smiled faintly. "I cannot believe this of him…but as you say, in battle…. I don't know, perhaps…."

He shook his head as if trying to push the thoughts out of his mind, then he turned and his smile was a bright one.

" Still, we waste time. It will not be long before my Father will be ready to see you. I thought I would give you a tour first. What do you think?"

Now Elrohir was really confused. Legolas was so changeable, how did he go from such anger to this lighthearted enthusiasm? Legolas did not wait for his answer but grasped his hand.

" Shall we start with my rooms? I think I need something to take my mind off things and you will do very nicely, very nicely indeed!"


	3. Chapter 3

Legolas leapt out of bed with a start. There was loud banging on his door and someone was calling his name.

"Legolas!"

He struggled into his clothes only managing to look in complete disarray.

"Are they always so loud here?"

Legolas looked over to where Elrohir lay on the bed.

" They know I can sometimes be…distracted….." He smiled. It really was incredibly good to see Elrohir again he thought.

The door shook with more banging and he rushed to open it. Galion stood before him.

" Legolas, I do not even want to know what you are up to in here." Galion's eyes swept over him taking in his dishevelled appearance.

" Or who you are up to it with. You Father is ready for you and the Noldor. I suggest you get them there quickly…..and try to look at least a bit more…..regal."

He turned on his heels and walked away.

Legolas frowned to himself. What bad timing, his little tumble with Elrohir would have to wait, and he had thought it would provide some good stress relief, Elbereth knows he needed it after that news Elrohir had dumped on him about his Father and Glorfindel. He was furious about that. He didn't know which was worse, the feeling that his Father had betrayed his Mother with Glorfindel or the fact he had not even thought to warn Legolas of it when he sent him to Imladris.

He turned to Elrohir.

" You need to get dressed. Father is ready for you. We need to go now."

Legolas hurriedly fumbled his way into the rest of his clothes trying his best to look as if he was organised and composed and had not just staggered out of bed with a lover.

" Why are you in such a panic?" Elrohir asked. "It is just your father after all, It should be I who is worried."

Legolas looked him up and down. He looked a shambles.

"Elrohir! You cannot go before him looking like that. Straighten yourself up!"

"I thought you didn't care if he knew about us?" Elrohir said teasingly

" I don't!" Really, why was Elrohir being so difficult?

"Do you not want to make a good impression? For your Fathers sake, if not mine."

He felt unexplainably anxious about this. Elrohir was right, why was he so worried about what his Father thought of Elrohir? It wouldn't make any difference to their little fling after all.

"Come on, we have to go." He grabbed Elrohir's hand and dragged him out of the room after him. " You cannot be late. He will hold it against you for the rest of your visit, if not for eternity!"

They rushed through the corridors to Glorfindel's rooms and Legolas rapped sharply on the door. Glorfindel emerged and looked less than pleased to see Legolas.

Legolas scowled at the sight of him. How dare he, How dare he and his father!

" Father is ready for you." He snapped angrily. " You need to come with me now."

Glorfindel looked slightly surprised at Legolas's aggressiveness. Well he better get used to it Legolas thought. He would get nothing else from him from now on.

"Now?" Glorfindel definitely seemed less that thrilled to hear this. Elladan appeared at his shoulder.

" Are we to go? Come on Glorfindel you should get this over with." He walked past Glorfindel into the corridor. His eyes took in his brother.

" Elrohir, what have you been doing? you look as if you just crawled out of a bush…" His glanced across to where Legolas stood, arms folded looking unimpressed.

"Oh….. of course.." He mumbled, " well straighten yourself out Brother."

"Not you as well," Elrohir grumbled as he tried to adjust his clothing.

Legolas had had enough. He strode off ahead of them towards his Fathers study. If the Noldor didn't want to follow him, well so be it. His stomach was churning with rage. The more he thought about his Father and Glorfindel the angrier he got. He didn't look back until he reached the door, then he turned, there they all were straggling behind him. Glorfindel looking as if he was going to be ill. So he should, Legolas thought, so he should.

He opened the door and stepped inside….

…

Legolas stood at attention watching his father closely. If there was the slightest hint of a relationship between him and Glorfindel he was determined to spot it.

Thranduil was surprisingly warm as he approached Glorfindel.

" Glorfindel" he said lightly, "It is a pleasure to welcome you here. My apologies for the delay." His grasped his shoulders with both hands and smiled.

So much for hating all Noldor then, Legolas thought.

Thranduil continued, looking along the line to Elladan and Elrohir.

" And the Sons of Elrond. A pleasure of course. Forgive me but you will need to identify yourselves…since my son seems to have failed in simple introductions."

Legolas winced, he should have remembered to do that. No one could tell Elladan and Elrohir apart at first meeting. Still, what right did his father have to make him look foolish.

Elladan stepped forward.

"I am Elladan, Sire, and this is my brother Elrohir. We have been much looking forward to our visit here."

Thranduil ran his eyes over them both warily.

" Hmm, Elladan, I have heard you are a gifted healer," Elladan blushed at that,

"And Elrohir…" Thranduil paused in front of him. "I am afraid to say I have heard nothing good about you."

Elrohir opened his mouth with a retort. Legolas cringed inwardly, please let Elrohir keep his mouth shut. His father was only goading him trying to get a response. He enjoyed playing those games.

Elladan interjected quickly before Elrohir had a chance to cause a disruption and Legolas let out a sigh of relief.

" We are excited to have the opportunity to learn more about Mirkwood my Lord, although Legolas has already taught us much of course."

"I am sure he has," Thranduil eyes drilled into those of the twins. " At least one of you anyway."

He turned back to Glorfindel.

"You will come to the hall to dine with me of course. The evening meal starts shortly. We have much to talk about Glorfindel."

Legolas's stomach churned, just what did his father mean by that?

Glorfindel's face was impossibly pale, he stuttered in agitation.

"I beg your forgiveness Thranduil but….it has been a long journey and we are tired….I wondered if we could eat in our rooms tonight and rest…..tomorrow perhaps, when we have recovered we could speak."

Thranduil raised his eyebrows in surprise.

" Of course , if you wish it. I have to say though Glorfindel I had thought the renown Balrog slayer would have more….stamina.."

Oh and Thranduil would know all about Glorfindel's stamina wouldn't he, Legolas thought bitterly.

" The boys…" Glorfindel said weakly, " I have to think of them you see.." and Elrohir shot him an angry look.

"Very well" Thranduil indicated to Galion who stood in the corner.

"Galion will show you to your rooms. I will arrange food and wine to be bought for you there. He will fetch you for breakfast in the morning. I do hope you will be recovered to attend that." The last was said with no small amount of sarcasm.

Glorfindel bowed formally and Legolas moved to escort them from the room.

"Not you Legolas." His father barked at him. " I wish to speak to you."

Legolas's heart sunk. He did not think a private audience with his father was a good idea right now. He leaned towards Elrohir as he walked past and whispered,

" I will come to you later."

Elrohir flashed him a brilliant smile in response.

The door closed behind the Noldor and Legolas stood and waited for whatever it was his Father wished to discuss.

" Glorfindel seems very tense. Where there problems escorting them here Legolas?"

"No." Legolas was brief and deliberately lacking in details. He was too angry to speak with his father, especially about Glorfindel. He struggled to rein in his temper.

His father moved to stand directly in front of him. He was stern and disapproving.

"So which one is it Legolas?"

Legolas pretended ignorance.

" I do not understand" he replied.

" His father leaned in closer.

"You know what I one of Elrond's sons have you taken to your bed? I know it is one of them."

Legolas found he suddenly didn't care.

"Maybe it is both." He said casually.

" Enough with the attitude and answer me plainly." Thranduil was on the verge of losing his temper. "The sweet, gentle one or the rebel?"

Legolas gave up.

"Elrohir."

"So the rebel then. I should have known. Did I not tell you to keep clear of them. No good will come of this Legolas. Do you do this deliberately to offend me?"

And Legolas's temper snapped.

"Are you jealous?" He sneered. " Is Glorfindel not enough for you?"

Thranduil was outraged.

"What do you mean by that child! Do you forget who you speak to?"

"I forget nothing!" Legolas was shouting now, all his anger and bitterness poured out of him. "I do not forget my MOTHER, who you betrayed….with Glorfindel! I know ALL about it Father. Do not deny it. How could you? How could you do that to her…to me….and why did I have to hear about it from others?"

His father looked back at him cooly and Legolas felt himself turned to ice by that stare.

" And who has told you this?" He did not shout, his voice was cold and threatening. "Your Noldo lover?"

"Elrohir, yes." Legolas trust his chin out determinedly. He would not let his Father squirm his way out of this. " He says it came from Glorfindel himself!"

"And you believe him?" Thranduil sounded almost saddened by that and Legolas found his resolve wavering. He stared back with ever reducing resolution.

Thranduil turned without a word and took a seat beside the fire.

"Join me Legolas." He said without so much as a glance towards him.

Legolas did as he was told and sat.

Thranduil gazed into the flames. He did not look at Legolas as he spoke.

" I have never betrayed your Mother and why would I? There is nothing between Glorfindel and I, we have barely even spoken. When we last met I was…rather burdened, I had not the time or inclination to be with any of the Noldor." Legolas watched as a look of grief flitted across his fathers face and he was engulfed with a wave of guilt.

Thranduil turned to him.

" There is no one for me but your mother, there never has been and there never will be. I had thought you would know me well enough to realise that. I am saddened you didn't."

Legolas opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out. He felt terrible.

" Do you believe me now?" Thranduil gazed intently at him.

Legolas nodded.

"Forgive me Father, I never should have doubted. It made no sense and I argued against it but…..Elrohir seemed so sure. We have…..we are…." He stopped, wondering, just what were he and Elrohir to each other. Not what he had thought, obviously.

"Why would Elrohir say such a thing if it was not true?" He muttered. He couldn't understand it.

" Are you attached to him, Legolas? Is this more than just your usual fun and games?"

"No!" Legolas denied that adamantly for of course he wasn't attached.

Thranduil leaned forward and placed a hand on his knee.

"I warned you of the Noldor. Ever have they used our people for their amusement, used us and cast us aside. He plays games with your heart Legolas. No doubt he finds this funny but I see that you do not. You are hurt, I am sorry at that but it is well you discovered this now before anything serious developed."

Legolas nodded numbly. He could not believe Elrohir had done this to him, had wanted to hurt him so badly. He remembered Elrohir had been angry that he was so detached when meeting them today. Was this all a calculated retaliation? It was just so cruel.

His Father handed him a glass of wine and he took it automatically.

" Put him out of your mind Legolas, believe me he is not worth it. The Noldor are never to be trusted."

Legolas dropped his head so his father couldn't see his eyes. He felt tears welling up and he was mortified.

That Elrohir had done this to him….that the idea of that would hurt this much. He couldn't understand why he felt so upset and betrayed. It made no sense to him at all.

His father caught his chin in his hands and lifted his face so he looked into his eyes.

"Oh Legolas." He said as he gently brushed away the tears that now, despite his attempts at self control, spilled down Legolas's cheeks.

"They will pay for this." Thranduil's scowl was heavy with emotion.

" No one treats my son's heart as a plaything without answering to me."


	4. Chapter 4

Elrohir drummed his fingers impatiently on the table. Where was Legolas? He had promised to come and see him and that was hours ago. Surely he couldn't still be with his father. Elrohir pushed his empty plates away. He had long ago finished his dinner. Darkness was falling and….no Legolas.

His door swung open with a crash and he leapt to his feet startled, swinging round to see who it was who dared charge into his rooms.

Legolas was standing there and he was furious. His eyes flashed with rage. Elrohir was speechless. What on earth was wrong?

" Why did you do it?" Legolas demanded. His voice was cold and icy.

Elrohir struggled to gain his composure. He had no idea what was going on. He simply couldn't keep track of Legolas's moods. He was so changeable. Laughing and happy one minute and then fiery and angry the next. He had been volatile in Imladris but not this bad. What was it now?

" What do you mean?" He asked. What more could he say, he really didn't know what was expected of him.

"Is that all you have to say." Legolas demanded.

"Well yes…"Elrohir was totally bemused.

"It is true then, you really did just do this for your own amusement." Legolas spun around and charged out of the door slamming it loudly behind him.

Elrohir wasn't about to let him get away that easily. At least not without some kind of explanation. He took off out the door chasing Legolas down the corridor.

"Legolas, wait!" He called

Legolas paused in his mad rush and turned to face him.

"Changed you mind then." He said coldly. " Do you realise how much this hurt. I would have thought …..after your mother…..you of all people would understand. Or did you? Did you understand all too well and that is why you did it?"

"Did I do what?" Elrohir cried in frustration, " and what has my mother to do with anything?" Now he was closer to Legolas he could see just how upset he was. Had he been….had he been crying?

"You will not even admit it!" Legolas was shouting now. "Have you no courage….I suppose I should have expected that from a …..Kinslayer."

Elrohir could hear the pain in his voice but that…..that was a step too far.

"I am no Kinslayer." He said a lot more calmly than he felt. "You will take that back."

Legolas sneered at him. "Your Father was raised by them. I am sure some of it rubbed off on him."

Elrohir had had enough. He still had no idea what this was about but Legolas had crossed one too many lines.

"You will leave my Father out of this" he said angrily.

"Oh, so you can say what you like about MY father but yours is out of bounds? Is that how it is….Elrohir?" Legolas strode forward leaning over him so his face was right in front of Elrohir's, he could feel Legolas's breath across his cheeks as he spoke, his voice chilling and cold.

"Stay. Away. From. Me." And he spun around on his heels and left.

This time Elrohir didn't follow. He stood there confused and distraught. What had he done? He could think of nothing. There was a pain in his chest and he struggled to catch his breath. He brushed his hand across his face and was startled to see it come away with tears on his fingertips. Why was he crying?

He needed Elladan. That was all he could think of, he had to get to him, but as he stumbled back down the corridor to Elladan's rooms he remembered Elladan would be with Glorfindel and he couldn't go there.

Elrohir realised he was all on his own. No brother, no father, certainly no lover to run to. He slid down against the wall, put his head in his hands,

and sobbed.

…..

Glorfindel walked into the breakfast room more than a little bit nervously. Thranduil had seemed quite pleasant last night, there had been no mention of the Eagles. Perhaps it was just a trap though to lull him into a false sense of security. He paused just inside the doorway. Thranduil was already there. He had meant to get there before him, this was not what he had planned.

Elladan smiled sweetly at him from across the table so he crossed the room and took a seat next to him. Elrohir however was nowhere to be seen. Glorfindel frowned. Could the boy not make the effort to get here on time at least on the first day.

" So you have managed to make it here." Thranduil's voice was harsh and bitter. He glared at Glorfindel. So yesterday's pleasant mood was a trap then Glorfindel thought to himself.

" Yes indeed," Glorfindel tried his best to smile calmly. He would not let Thranduil know how nervous he was. He was Glorfindel, Balrog slayer. Thranduil was nothing compared to a Balrog…was he?

" Your other charge seems not to have arrived. Such bad time keeping might be usual in Imladris but we are not used to it here." Thranduil's mood was obviously very bad this morning.

Glorfindel glanced around for something to divert the conversation from the wayward Elrohir. He noticed Legolas was also missing.

"Where is Legolas?" He enquired politely.

It was obviously the wrong subject to choose.

" Legolas," Thranduil said firmly. "has been out on patrol for hours. This is not Imladris. Our life is hard. The enemy surrounds us. Legolas is a warrior. He has duties to attend to that do not include babysitting spoilt Noldor." Glorfindel cringed. He should have known better than to point out Legolas's absence.

"He should not have gone out on patrol today though," Thranduil continued softly almost to himself.

Glorfindel was diverted from following that up by Elrohir's arrival. He slunk in to the room head down. Glorfindel observed him closely. His eyes were reddened as if he had been crying…or drinking. Yes, Glorfindel thought, He had probably located a bunch of unruly Wood –Elves already and spent the night having far too much to drink. Could he not behave himself just this once.

" It is so nice of you to grant us your presence Elrondion." Thranduil could not have been more sarcastic if he tried.

" Forgive me Sire." Elrohir said, his voice was hoarse and rough. "I overslept. My apologies" Glorfindel sighed. Elrohir sounded as if he had spent the night carousing, overslept was probably a euphemism for hungover he decided.

The meal continued in stony silence. Thranduil spent his time glaring at Glorfindel and Elrohir alternately. Glorfindel fidgeted nervously in his chair and Elrohir simply radiated misery. Elladan on the other hand was consumed with anxiety about his brother. Glorfindel could feel the worry coming off him in waves. Elladan fussed quietly around him but Elrohir stonily shrugged off his help making Elladan all the more anxious. What a nightmare , Glorfindel thought. When next he saw Elrond he would have his head for sending him here.

Eventually, thankfully, the torture came to an end and they finished eating.

"What are you plans for today?" Thranduil snapped at the twins.

Elladan looked up his brows creased with worry.

"Oh. Legolas suggested we check out your archery range. The reputation of the archers of the wood is second to none My Lord. We thought we might watch them train." He gazed earnestly at Thranduil.

"Very well" Thranduil grumbled as they stood to leave. "Perhaps you could try not to spread any malicious rumours while you are there."

"My Lord?" Elladan was confused.

"Just be gone." Thranduil snapped. "But not you Glorfindel." He said as Glorfindel tried to exit with the twins.

"You promised me we would speak this morning I believe."

"Ah…yes." Glorfindel could see no way out, The moment of truth was upon him.

In abject misery he followed Thranduil slowly down the hall to his study wishing the whole time the floor would collapse from under him. Even a serious injury was beginning to look more favourable than speaking with an angry Thranduil. He entered the room and Thranduil shut the door firmly behind them. He strolled to the centre of the room, his back to Glorfindel.

"It has been long since we last met Glorfindel."

"Yes. It has." Glorfindel agreed.

"The Last Alliance…." Thranduil mused. "I was not myself then, grief and anger affect us deeply, would you not agree?" And he swung round to stare icily at Glorfindel.

"They do, Thranduil." Glorfindel wondered exactly were this was going.

" I am afraid I must apologise to you" Thranduil continued. Glorfindel was taken aback. What ever for he wondered.

"It seems, you see, that my grief and pain have inflicted upon me a rather strange amnesia."

"Amnesia?" Now Glorfindel really was completely confused.

"Yes, indeed. I seem to have totally forgotten the fact that you and I…." He paused for effect. " Apparently, and I am not quite sure how we managed it, you and I spent our time at the Last Alliance having an affair!"

Glorfindel's stomach sunk to his boots. No. No. No. could not be happening. Surely Elladan had not told anyone of that ridiculous idea of his. How could he have been so stupid.

" Thranduil…this has not come from me…."

But Thranduil was not ready to allow him to speak. He was just warming up. He pounced upon Glorfindel, his anger shone from his eyes and Glorfindel felt like a mouse being stalked by a vicious cat.

" Do you know, I didn't remember this fling of ours until last night, when I had my son confronting me, enraged, that I had betrayed his mother….his DEAD mother….with YOU!"

Oh it really was as bad as it could get, Glorfindel shuddered. Elladan had told Elrohir…of all people, was he crazy?...and Elrohir of course had told Legolas. Suddenly the Eagle religion seemed like an entirely preferable thing to be discussing.

"I can explain….a misunderstanding….it is not….I swear nothing was meant by this.." Glorfindel knew he was babbling but he just couldn't stop.

"Nothing was meant by it?! Do you know how this has hurt my son?" Thranduil was in full swing now and Glorfindel found himself edging away from his rage.

" I will not tolerate it Glorfindel. You will keep these charges of yours away from him. You Noldor can find someone else to play your cruel games with. It will not be Legolas! Do you understand me?"

Glorfindel opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted by the door swinging open and Galion striding in. He looked stressed.

Thranduil scowled at him.

"I am busy. Leave us." He snapped.

"Thranduil, this is urgent." Galion would not be ignored. Glorfindel breathed a sigh of relief, something had happened to take Thranduil's mind off this nightmare of a mess.

" What is it." Thranduil growled, making it be known he was in no mood to be interrupted by matters of state.

" Two members of the western patrol have returned, they ask for help."

"The Western patrol? What is wrong?" Suddenly Thranduil was all ears.

Glorfindel watched as Galion approached Thranduil and placed a steadying hand on his arm.

"They stumbled across a group of orcs? Strangely clever ones they say, who seemed to target the Prince. Legolas was separated from them."

"Separated?" Thranduil gasped, and Glorfindel's palms began to sweat as he realised exactly how serious this was.

" They cannot find him." Galion said and Thranduil's eyes widened in horror. " Legolas is missing, they have sent for help to locate him."

Thranduil swung round suddenly to confront Glorfindel.

" This is your fault. Yours and those damned Sons of Elrond. Legolas was not fit to go on patrol. I told him to withdraw. He was too upset, too distracted by the nastiness they had thrown at him. This would not have happened otherwise."

He advanced on Glorfindel.

" They cannot find my son and it is all because of you!"


	5. Chapter 5

Elladan was in awe as he watched the Mirkwood archers. Everything they had heard about them was true. They were incredibly skilled. Far more so than anyone they had in Imladris.

He glanced sideways at Elrohir who stood beside him. Something was seriously wrong with him. Elladan knew that, he could feel it, even if it hadn't been so patently obvious when you looked at him. Try as he might he could not get Elrohir to speak to him though. He decided to try once more.

" Elrohir, please, tell me what is wrong."

"We are here to watch the archery, not talk about me, I think Brother." Elrohir snapped back.

Elladan turned to look him in the eye.

"Why won't you let me help you?"

"You cannot help me." Elrohir looked at his feet. " I don't even know what is wrong to be honest."

Elladan decided to take a wild stab in the dark.

"You have quarrelled with Legolas?" It seemed a reasonable guess to make he thought. He had never seen Elrohir this distressed after a lovers tiff before though.

Elrohir jerked his gaze upwards.

"How do you know?"

Elladan shrugged,

"I didn't, I guessed. We have only been here less than a day Elrohir. What could you have found to argue about in that short time?"

"I don't know." Elrohir looked desperately sad. "I have no idea what it is I have done."

Elladan frowned at that. He was confused.

"But you argued? Surely…how can you have an argument and not know what it is about? That makes no sense."

"Ask Legolas" Elrohir said bitterly. " He was furious with me but I couldn't get him to tell me why, something about our mother….. and….how can that make any sense, I ask you!" He waved his arms in the air in frustration.

"Our mother? He is angry with you because of our mother?"

"That's what he said."Elrohir turned towards Elladan. " He called me a Kinslayer. I couldn't let that go."

Elladan was horrified. " He did not!"

"He did. I don't know why, Elladan. I just don't know why….and if I don't then how can I ever fix it."

Elladan was diverted from Elrohir by a commotion on the side of the field. One of the Wood-Elves ran out, calling for others to join him. Elladan couldn't help but overhear the tense conversation.

"We need men quickly to search the forest. Legolas is missing, separated from his patrol by orcs. The patrol cannot locate him and the King calls for us to go to their aid!"

Elladan glanced at Elrohir who was as white as a ghost.

One of the Elves who had been at the archery range spoke up.

"I heard Legolas should not have been on patrol today. He was not himself. The King asked him to find a replacement but he refused. This is the fault of the Noldor." He raised his voice to ensure, Elladan thought, it carried across to them.

" It is their fault our Prince may be lost to us."

The heads of every elf there turned to gaze at Elladan and Elrohir. Distrust and antagonism shone in their eyes. Elladan nervously shuffled his feet. Beside him Elrohir made a strangled gasp.

"Come on," the first Elf called, "Don't waste time on them, you know this is urgent." And he turned to leave.

"We will come with you, let us help!" Elladan cried out. Why had he said that he wondered, neither he or Elrohir had any idea how to manoeuvre through the forest. They would probably be more a hinderance than a help.

The Elf that had spoken bitterly sneered at him. "We do not need the help of the likes of you, we can find the Prince ourselves."

"Don't be so hasty." The first laid his hand on the other. "The more men we have the more likely we will succeed. I have heard one of them has a talent for healing, he will be useful at least. Come with us now then and be quick." He called out to Elladan. "We welcome your help."

Elladan turned to Elrohir,

"Come on Brother, we will show them we are of use." Elrohir stared at him with pain-stricken eyes.

"Elrohir?" Elladan grasped his hand. "We must go now."

Elrohir looked terrible. His face pale, Elladan felt his hand shake in his own.

" What if they don't find him? What if…I have caused his death?"

" Do not dwell on that Elrohir." Elladan said firmly. "It will not come to that. We will find him."

As they ran across the field he wished he felt as confident about that as he hoped he sounded.

…

Elrohir felt entrapped by the forest. He hated it. It was everywhere, he couldn't see properly, he couldn't hear properly, most of time he had no idea where he was. The trees were so disorientating. He knew he was being of no help at all. He had no idea how anyone expected to find anything in this place.

The longer time went on and they hadn't located Legolas the more panicked he became. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest. It was impossible to hear anything over the sound of it beating in his ears. He stumbled over branches and into tree trunks as he crashed through the forest. The Wood- Elves around him looked at him with disdain. He was slowing them down he knew and they despised him for it.

The group he was with disappeared around the corner in front of him. He could hear their complicated whistles telling others they had found nothing here. He knew he should rush to catch up for if he fell too far behind he would be lost as well and then what? They would probably all be quite happy to leave him there he thought.

Something was calling to him though, pulling at him, imploring him not to leave. A strange feeling, he couldn't identify it himself. They were going in the wrong direction, he should not follow. He shook his head trying to free himself from the internal warning. It was ridiculous, he had to follow the others. He rushed after them, got as far as the bend in the path and halted. No, this felt so terribly, badly wrong. He could not leave.

He stepped back several paces and took a deep breath, trying to clear his mind of his fear and frustration. 'Think, Elrohir, think. Listen to your feelings.' he said to himself trying to calm himself down. Suddenly he knew exactly where he should go, the thought leapt into his head unannounced but clear as a bell.

He turned, raised his sword and started hacking at the dense foliage in front of him. This was the way, it made no sense at all if he paused to think on it, and he had probably just succeeded in getting himself lost for all time, but this was the way he had to go.

It seemed like forever that he was chopping and slashing at the endless branches and vines in front of him as he staggered his way through the forest but always the feeling was tugging at him, drawing him in. Finally he burst into a small clearing almost tripping over the body of an orc lying right in front of him as he did so. He glanced around, two more orcs lay dead off to one side and there, at the other side of the clearing lying against a tree was an Elf, he would recognise that pale gold hair anywhere.

"No!" He cried and stumbled across to fall at Legolas's side.

"Legolas!" He touched his face. It was deathly pale, his lips were tinged blue, but he was breathing. His breaths audible as ragged gasps.

As Elrohir touched him Legolas opened his eyes. Elrohir watched as he struggled to focus upon him.

"Elrohir…." His voice was hoarse, barely more than a whisper.

"I am angry with you." He said flatly.

Elrohir sighed. He could not believe it. Here they were in this hideous situation and Legolas was going to start another argument with him? Was he serious? He took a deep breath to settle himself, he must stay calm.

" Yes, I know you are angry," he said finally. " But maybe this is not quite the time for us to address that. Perhaps we can put that aside for now….deal with it later?"

Legolas looked as if he was giving that due consideration.

" Yes, that makes sense" he mumbled and closed his eyes.

Elrohir's stomach clenched because no, that did not make sense, it did not make sense at all. None of it did.

He looked down in despair at the jagged gash that ran across Legolas's side. There was blood everywhere he looked, so much blood. He knew he had to stop it. He struggled out of his tunic, if he could press this against it maybe it would help….….help, that was what he needed.

"Help!" He shouted as loud as he could, "Help me!"

"They won't hear you," Legolas mumbled, "the forest…too disorientating….whistle.."

Ah yes, Elrohir remembered the whistles of the wood elves. He desperately tried to mimic them sending a loud shrill whistle through the trees as close as he could manage to the ones he had heard before.

There was a strangled snort from Legolas, if Elrohir was not mistaken it was an attempt at a laugh.

" You have just told them you are copulating with a pair of Spiders." Legolas was almost smiling.

"What?!" Elrohir gasped, " You have a whistle for that?" He was rather horrified at the idea.

"Not as a rule, I think you have just invented it."

Elrohir hit his fist against his forehead. He was such an idiot.

" Don't worry," Legolas smiled gently at him, "It will do the trick. They will come running to see exactly what it is you are doing…" He ran out of breath and his voice fell quiet.

Elrohir swore as he struggled to arrest the flow of blood pouring from Legolas's side. He pressed firmly with his hand which elicited a loud groan from Legolas. He was hurting him, why was he so useless?

"Why is Elladan not here?" He said angrily, "He is so much better than I at this." Elrohir thought he may weep in frustration as the blood trickled through his fingers. If only he had paid more attention to his Fathers lessons.

"Elladan is boring…..I prefer you…." Legolas whispered and Elrohir raised his eyes to look at him. A sense of hopelessness gripped him as he saw Legolas's eyes lose their focus and slowly drift shut, his head dropping down to his chest.

"No! No!" Elrohir realised he was screaming, " Don't go…don't leave..please Legolas!" His hands shook as he desperately, desperately tried to stop the loss of blood. He felt he was drowning in it. His hands, his clothes, blood coated everything and even pain from the pressure on the wound drew no response this time.

" Please!" Elrohir was beside himself. This could not happen. It was all his fault…... all his fault.

"I know I am impulsive" he cried, " I know I am foolish, I will change I promise….please stay with me, don't go Legolas, don't go."

A loud crash sounded from the foliage behind him and before he knew what was happening he was surrounded by Wood-Elves. He found himself pushed aside, sitting on the ground while they swarmed over Legolas speaking rapidly in their language. He struggled to understand. He was aware his brother was there, his anchor, calm, sweet Elladan. Speaking quietly as his fingers moved deftly across Legolas's wounds.

'Elladan will save him' Elrohir thought to himself. 'He will not let him leave me.'

He watched as they gathered up Legolas, who lay motionless in Elladan's arms his head lolled off to one side. Elrohir did not move as the crowd of elves carried him out of the clearing, heading for their horses and back to the Kings Halls. He thought maybe he would never be able to move again.

A firm strong hand clasped his shoulder. A calm reassuring voice sounded above him.

"Elrohir, let me help you."

He looked up, Glorfindel was there his bright blue eyes gazing down on him sadly. Elrohir struggled to his feet ignoring the hand Glorfindel offered him to help. He looked down at his own hands, they were shaking and covered in blood, Legolas's blood. For a moment he thought he might be sick.

Then he felt Glorfindel's arm placed gently around his shoulders and he was pulled in against his body.

"Come with me," Glorfindel began to lead him slowly across the clearing. " All will be well child, come with me."

How Elrohir wished he could believe him.


	6. Chapter 6

Elladan sighed heavily as he entered his room. He was so tired, all he wanted was to have a bath, wash off some of this blood and dirt, and sleep.

He looked up and there sitting by the fire was Glorfindel. He looked serious, at his most stern. Elladan smiled and his spirits lifted. He should have known Glorfindel would be here waiting for him to return.

Glorfindel rose from his chair.

" How is Legolas," he asked flatly.

Elladan dropped his head, the news was not good.

" He is alive….. but it is uncertain, his injuries are ….severe…" He trailed off.

Glorfindel gave him a long hard look.

" You need to go to your brother."

Elladan's shoulders slumped. He was so weary and dispirited.

"It is the middle of the night Glorfindel. He will be sleeping and I am tired. I will see him in the morning."

Glorfindel turned his back to Elladan and picked up his glass of wine from the table.

" You will see him now." He said bluntly in a tone that insinuated there was to be no arguing.

Elladan frowned. What was Glorfindel about, coming here and ordering him around like a child?

" May I at least wash first?" He said sulkily.

Glorfindel kept his back to him.

" I think that would be wise."

Elladan stomped past him grumpily, while he washed and changed his clothes he pondered on Glorfindel's behaviour. It was not at all how he had expected to be greeted. Snapping orders at him and giving him the cold shoulder. Something was up.

Clean, tidy and feeling slightly better because of it he walked out to face Glorfindel again.

He would get straight to the point he decided. It was far too late at night to be beating around the bush.

"What is wrong?" he demanded.

Glorfindel looked up.

"I think there is plenty that is wrong Elladan."

What kind of answer was that? Elladan wondered, not a very helpful one.

"With Legolas, yes," he answered, "but what is wrong with us?"

"That is what I meant." Glorfindel replied angrily. " I believe there is plenty wrong with us."

Elladan blinked. Had he missed something? He looked at Glorfindel blankly.

"Until now," he said eventually, "I would have said everything was right. I have been happy." He was annoyed. It had been a long and stressful day and he really didn't need to be dragged through a relationship debriefing session.

Glorfindel did not reply but fixed him with an icy stare.

Elladan's temper snapped.

" Be plain and tell me what this is about. I am tired. I have just spent hours trying to save someone's life," he found himself getting quite worked up. "and it is not at all certain I have succeeded. I definitely do not need this from you right now Glorfindel. Do you have any idea how stressful this is. I would have thought you might support me, not…..this."

Glorfindel remained completely unaffected by Elladan's tirade. His voice when he replied was cool and his words sarcastic.

"I am sorry things are SO hard for you Elladan. However I am sure they may in fact be harder for Legolas, Thranduil and…..your brother."

"What has Elrohir got to do with anything?" Elladan demanded. "I am sure he is just fine as he always is."

"How blind can you be?" was Glorfindel's reply.

Elladan was furious. How dare Glorfindel suggest he did not know his brother!

"Well if you excuse me," he pushed past Glorfindel, "I will go and see MY brother since you so obviously think I should." He marched angrily to the door.

As his hand reached to open it Glorfindel spoke, calmly and coldly.

" I had an interesting meeting with Thranduil this morning, after breakfast. He was so very pleased to have heard that he and I were supposedly an item."

Elladan froze. His hand on the doorknob. So that was what this was about. Elrohir had told someone of Glorfindel and Thranduil's affair. He was sure he had asked him not to. He turned slowly. Glorfindel had him fixed with what could only be described as a death look.

" I believe," he continued. " I told you not to say anything further about that ridiculous idea of yours."

"I told Elrohir only," Elladan cried. "I said he should say nothing. I cannot be to blame for whatever he has said. Perhaps it is him you should be angry with?"

And Glorfindel roared.

" Elrohir is NOT to blame for what has occurred. You are! How dare you think you have the right to spread tales of my personal life to all and sundry?"

"It wasn't ….." Elladan tried to protest.

" You WILL take responsibility for this. Do you know what you have done? The pain you have caused? There was no truth in it. No truth at all. I have barely said two words to Thranduil before now, let alone touched him!" Glorfindel's eyes flashed aggressively and Elladan realised too late he had made a big mistake.

" I am more likely to have been having an affair with Erestor than Thranduil!"

" Erestor?"

" Stop it, Elladan. Just stop!"

" There is no harm done," Elladan stammered, " I will see Thranduil and explain… apologise.."

"No harm done?" Glorfindel was incredulous. "A boy lies dying because of this. Your brother is grieving, he blames himself. Elladan, can you not see?"

"I don't see…I don't see what this has to do with Legolas…"

Glorfindel in a rage threw his glass across the room, it smashed against the wall beside Elladan's head, the wine trickling red as blood down the stone.

Glorfindel advanced on him and he backed against the wall.

" Elrohir told Legolas as you must have known he would…how could he not. Can you not imagine how much that ridiculous story hurt him? How would you feel if others spoke to you of your Fathers indiscretions before your mother…..left?"

Elladan was outraged.

" My Father would not! How dare you!"

"No. Of course he did not. Hurts though, doesn't it Elladan?"

Elladan was speechless, Glorfindel was right, he should have known Elrohir would speak to Legolas, he hadn't considered Legolas's feelings. But Glorfindel continued,

" When his father told him it was all lies Legolas assumed Elrohir had done it deliberately, a cruel joke."

"Elrohir is not….he is many things but not cruel…" Elladan spluttered.

" And Legolas would know that?"

Elladan hung his head in despair. Of course he would doubt it.

" He was not in the right state of mind to be on that patrol. This is not Imladris, they gamble with their lives here."

"It is my fault…" Elladan whispered and he received no comfort from Glorfindel.

" Even if this had been true Elladan. What right had you to tell your brother?"

"I tell Elrohir everything" he gasped.

"You WILL NOT tell him everything about me!"

Elladan was distressed,

"I cannot not keep secrets from him!" He cried.

"Then, Elladan," Glorfindel turned his back. "then we have a problem."

"You ask me to chose?" Elladan was horrified. "You ask me to chose, Elrohir or you? I cannot do that!"

" Don't be so ridiculous," Glorfindel snapped. "I would never ask you that! But I tell you, my secrets are not yours to tell. Nor are ours…things between you and I. If I cannot trust you, if I think you will not keep my deepest thoughts private…..well I will tell you nothing, and then where will we be?"

Elladan thought he may cry, all his life he had told Elrohir everything, EVERYTHING. He was his twin.

Glorfindel turned and pushed past him,

" I will leave you to think on this Elladan but my position is clear and it will not change. Go see your brother. He is in pain and he needs you, perhaps you can right some of the wrong you have done him."

And he strode out the door and Elladan watched as he slowly disappeared, fading into the darkness of the hallway.

….

Elladan softy knocked on Elrohir's door. He could see a light shining out from underneath it so his brother must be up.

"Elrohir….It's me." He called softly.

"Come in." His brother replied and so he quietly entered the room.

Elrohir was seated by the fire which had burnt to a low, small pile of glowing ashes with his head in his hands. He looked up as Elladan entered, his face tense and anxious. Elladan was taken aback. He could barely remember the last time Elrohir had looked this worried, worry just wasn't something he did. Mentally he thanked Glorfindel for ensuring he came here.

" Legolas?" Elrohir asked his voice quiet and strained.

Elladan sat down beside him and placed his arm around his shoulders.

" He lives Brother, but I cannot lie to you, whether he will survive is far from certain yet."

Elrohir let out a shuddering breath.

" You are so late, when you did not come…I feared…." Elladan felt him shaking beneath his arm. He was a mess.

"Elrohir, I need to ask, You and Legolas….is there more between you than I thought?"

Elrohir gave a bitter laugh.

" In truth there is nothing between us Elladan. He despises me. Even when I found him, in the forest, bleeding, the first thing he told me was how angry he was. It is just…I hate the thought that he may die thinking so ill of me."

Elladan chewed on his lip, he really should confess to his mistake over Glorfindel, the fact this whole mess was down to him, but he knew his brother. Elrohir was volatile and as upset as he was it was likely to all end in a terrible row and how would that help him? He managed to convince himself to say nothing. He would tell Elrohir later he rationalised, when things were calmer.

" You saved his life." He said instead.

Elrohir waved his hand dismissively.

"I did nothing. I remembered none of what Father had taught me. I was useless."

"You found him." Elladan said earnestly, "if you hadn't, then….well, it would have been too late."

He placed his hand over Elrohir's,

"Shall I stay? Would you like some company to distract you?"

Elrohir gave him a small rueful smile.

"I am sure Glorfindel would be better company than I would. Go to him Brother. I won't keep you apart."

Elladan was not about to admit Glorfindel was the last person he wanted to spend time with, nor that Glorfindel was unlikely to want to spend any with him either.

" I will stay," he said firmly, I will stay and we can talk." Suddenly he remembered something he had to ask. Something the wood-elves had been speaking of in the forest. He was almost certain he must have misunderstood them… at least he hoped so.

"Elrohir…did you see any spiders in the wood?"

"No." Elrohir gave him a strange look.

"If you had seen any…would you have…..done anything with them?"

"Done anything?" Elrohir was looking at him as if he had temporarily lost his mind. "Well I would have killed them. Does that count? What else do you think I would do?"

"Oh, nothing, nothing" Elladan said hastily "It was just something….I must have misheard something, Don't worry about it." Desperate to change the subject he plucked at the next random thought that floated through his head.

" I was wondering," he began, and it was true, he had been. "Do you think Erestor and Glorfindel ever had anything going on?"

Elrohir lifted his head. A glint of interest in his eye.

"Possibly," he said, "I always did wonder. Why? Do you know anything I don't know?"

"It was just-" almost too late he caught himself before he mentioned Glorfindel, who didn't want him to speak to Elrohir about anything at all. It felt very wrong, he was not sure he could do what Glorfindel wanted of him, not sure at all.

"It was just a thought…" He finished off. "You know," he shrugged his shoulders, " stranger things have happened!"

Elrohir laughed.

"Not much stranger. Glorfindel could strut and preen and Erestor could write all about it. They are a match made in heaven. Watch yourself Elladan, however will you compete with Erestor's ability to list things in alphabetical order!"

Despite himself Elladan smiled. This Elrohir he felt much more comfortable about. This Elrohir he recognised.

The shaking, worried Elrohir, he hoped he never had to see again.


	7. Chapter 7

Elrohir stood before Thranduil. He believed he had never felt so petrified in all his life.

Thranduil stood with arms folded, tall and immovable, his stern gaze pinned Elrohir to the floor.

"Elrondion, I hope you realise I should send you straight back to where you came, that nothing could please me more."

Elrohir hung his head.

"Yes, Sire." He mumbled. He didn't know how Legolas did it. If this was his father he was sure he would be the most well behaved elf in Arda.

"However," Thranduil continued. "My son won't let me."

Probably because he wanted to do it himself, Elrohir thought.

"and since you did manage to somehow become involved with saving his life I suppose I have no choice but to agree. If you are to remain here I do not, I repeat, do not want to hear about any more of your malicious behaviour. Do you understand me?"

Elrohir nodded contritely although truth be told he had absolutely no idea what Thranduil was talking about. He was too scared to ask fearing to open his mouth because what came out of it so often seemed to only make matters worse.

"Legolas has asked to see you. I suggest you take yourself there as soon as possible before I think better of it. The boy is hopeless at choosing his partners. I don't know where I went wrong there at all."

"Yes my Lord, I will go right away my Lord." Elrohir began backing out of the room. He really wasn't at all keen to see Legolas, memories of their last argument, seemingly about nothing at all, fresh in his mind but anything was preferable to Thranduil.

He had just about made it to the door when Thranduil spoke again.

" and Elrondion….."

"Yes Sir?"

"I have heard rumours. I want to let you know…..well, I don't know what passes for normal behaviour in Imladris but here….regarding spiders…..we generally don't interact with them. Do you understand what I am meaning?"

For a moment Elrohir had no idea at all what he could be meaning but then a memory returned, the whistle he had made in his panic to save Legolas, surely Thranduil couldn't think..? He blushed a bright red.

"Of course My Lord, I understand….I don't as a rule...I haven't….. I didn't." Help, he thought, he couldn't let this rumour get hold.

"Yes, well see that you keep well away from them I think." Thranduil seemed satisfied and Elrohir turned and ran as fast as he could out of there.

….

Elrohir hovered uncertainly outside the room he had been directed to within the healing rooms. He really didn't want to go in there. Thranduil had told him he had to see Legolas so perhaps just glimpsing him through the door would count.

He edged closer trying to see if he could peak through a crack when the door swung right open and he staggered through in a rather unsophisticated manner.

The healer within gave him a very strange look.

"Can I help you?"

"Um…just…I just…Is Legolas here?" He stuttered clumsily.

"Of course he is here?" the healer said in a rather disbelieving tone. "He is hardly likely to be anywhere else."

Elrohir glanced over to the bed in the corner, sure enough there was Legolas. He looked terrible, pale and listless. He stared at Elrohir disdainfully, at least Elrohir imagined it was disdain with which he looked at him.

"Elrohir." Legolas said, his voice sounding tired and weak.

Elrohir edged a bit closer to the bed avoiding any eye contact.

"Your Father said you wanted to see me." He said awkwardly.

"Is it a good time now do you think, for us to resume our discussions?" Legolas asked him.

"What?" Elrohir wondered if Legolas might have suffered some kind of brain damage from lack of blood. "What discussions?"

Legolas sighed.

"You said I should set aside my anger and we would deal with it later, Is this late enough?"

Elrohir stood and stared. Did Legolas really remember that bizarre conversation. After everything that had happened did he truly want to go back to talking about that nonsensical fight?

" I suppose.." He murmured. "If you want to." What else was he expected to say?

Legolas took a deep breath as if he was about to start, but then he released it slowly.

"I am too tired. It would take too much energy… maybe later…"

Elrohir spotted a chance for him to get out of this difficult situation before Legolas changed his mind.

"If you are tired I can come back later," he said eagerly moving back toward the door.

But Legolas continued as if he hadn't even heard him.

"They tell me you saved my life."

"No." said Elrohir firmly, "I did nothing."

Legolas fixed him with a long hard look.

"I don't believe you." He said. Elrohir didn't know what to say to that so took the safest option of saying nothing. He looked down at the floor and fiddled with the rings on his fingers.

After what felt like an interminable period of silence, just when Elrohir was beginning to feel very uncomfortable, Legolas spoke again.

" I like that you are so impulsive." he said.

"What?" Elrohir was flabbergasted, what a totally random thing to say. Again he wondered at Legolas's state of mind. Was he quite right in the head?

"You told me you would change…..if I stayed, but I like it about you. I would rather you stayed that way."

Elrohir gasped in astonishment.

"You heard me? You remember that? I thought you were dying."

"So did I." Legolas gave him a tired smile. " So did I….. I was glad you were there."

Elrohir was lost for words. He really didn't know what to say to that. Somehow he felt it was quite important but how should he respond? He was still struggling to comprehend the fact Legolas had been aware the whole time he had been screaming in anguish at him not to leave.

How embarrassing.

"Oh." Was the best response he could come up with.

It was obviously the wrong one because Legolas looked very disappointed at that and turned his back towards Elrohir.

"Perhaps you should go." He said sulkily, "if that is what you wish."

Elrohir's heart sunk. He had messed things up again, and yet again he didn't know why.

"I can come back later…..if you like?" He said hesitantly.

"Don't bother." came the answer. "I don't want to put you out." Elrohir shuffled his feet uncertainly and waited but Legolas said no more. He was obviously done talking. So with a heavy heart and feeling very confused he slunk out of he room, the healers eyes watching him every step he made.

….

Elladan let himself in to Elrohir's room. He could hear a terrible lot of clattering and banging from inside. What was his brother up to?

The sight that met his eyes was a very strange one. Elrohir had his pack tipped upside down and was ferreting through a large pile of his belongings strewn all over his bed.

"What are you doing?" He exclaimed.

"Looking for something." Was the answer and then Elladan had to duck as Elrohir tossed a shirt in his direction.

" Whatever for?" he asked. He knew Elrohir had been under a lot of stress, perhaps it was getting too much for him?

Elrohir raised his head from the pile,

"Books." he explained. "Erestor told me he had packed me some books that might help me here. I ignored him of course but now…..I thought I would look for them and see if any of them were helpful."

Elladan was dumbfounded. Elrohir never bothered reading books.

"Ah. Here is one," he cried and held one aloft. He then eagerly proceeded to thumb through the pages but then he tossed it aside, " Well we could have used this days ago." He said dismissively.

Elladan leant over and picked it up. He peered at the title.

"How to Pack for a Rescue Mission." He cried. "Elrohir, we could have used this when we went looking for Legolas."

He turned over several pages.

" It says here we should bring a harp with us. Do you have one?"

"Of course not" Elrohir said. "I can't play the harp and neither can you, what would we need a harp for on a rescue mission?"

"Well the book says-"

But Elrohir interrupted him before he could get any further.

"This might be useful." He said excitedly and passed another book over to Elladan who inspected it closely.

"How to Converse with the Silvans." He read out.

"Yes," Elrohir reaching out to grab it back off him. "This is just what I need. I think I will read it tonight."

Elladan opened it up and read the first page.

"Elrohir I think you should be careful, listen to this." And he read aloud.

" Silvan Elves need very careful handling. They are easily confused and care must be taken when dealing with complex issues." Elladan looked at his brother. "I don't think this is right."

Elrohir snatched the book out of his hands.

"Well I will read it all the same. It can't be any worse than what I already doing."

He ceased his search and turned to look at Elladan intently.

" Elladan…. Can I ask you something?"

"Always!" Elladan replied.

"Who would you want to be with you when you die?"

Elladan gaped at him.

"What do you mean?"

"What I say, if you were dying who would you want to be there?"

"This is a depressing subject Elrohir. You shouldn't dwell on this."

Elrohir gave him a look that said just answer the question.

"Well….I haven't thought about it…but you obviously, Father, Glorfindel-"

Elrohir didn't let him finished.

"- You would be glad if Glorfindel was there? Why?"

"Because I love him." It was a simple answer Elladan thought and he was surprised it hadn't been obvious to his brother. A sadness washed over him as he remembered Glorfindel and he were studiously avoiding each other after their argument the other day.

" I thought so!" exclaimed Elrohir and he held the book to his chest. " I am going to read this now brother. I will see you later." And he sauntered almost happily out of the room.

Elladan watched him go, he had a bad feeling that book was rather out of date. Somehow he thought this wouldn't go at all well.


	8. Chapter 8

Elrohir took a deep breath. He was ready for this. He had read the first few chapters of his book "How to Converse with the Silvans" and he had all these new skills on board to tackle this conversation. He had been up all night planning what he would say.

He gave himself a pep talk as he entered the Healing Rooms. He could do it, he really could. The Healing Rooms, when he arrived, were in chaos. Healers in a panic everywhere. He grasp the arm of one of them rushing by.

"What's going on ?" he asked.

"Legolas is missing!" The Healer gasped.

" Not again!" said Elrohir, "We only just found him. What do you mean he is missing anyway. He looked like he could barely walk two steps when I saw him yesterday."

The Healer let out a sigh.

"It is always impossible keeping him here, he has done a runner. He will come back later when he completely runs out of energy but the King is due here shortly. It will not be pretty if he finds out Legolas has escaped us.

Elrohir was frustrated. He had expended so much effort mentally preparing for this and now Legolas had decided to vanish. Well he wasn't giving up that easily.

"I will look for him if you want." He helpfully suggested.

"If you like," the Healer shrugged as he rushed off. "There are many of us out there looking already."

So Elrohir sauntered off around the grounds. He decided Legolas could not have gone far. He was in no fit state to, and how he had ever managed not to be seen was beyond him. He noticed Healers everywhere he went, hurriedly searching every cranny while casually pretending not to be looking for anything at all.

He was just about to give up the whole idea and leave the Healers to their fate when he turned a corner and discovered a small gate hidden in the middle of a huge but well kept hedge. Tentatively he pushed it open and stepped through the arch into a beautifully tended garden. In the middle of this was Legolas sitting on a bench under the trees.

He turned his head to look at Elrohir as he entered.

"I don't want company." He said bluntly.

Elrohir stopped and considered how the book said he should handle this. There had been a lot of things in it that did not make much sense. It seemed to think the Silvans were not very bright and Elrohir happened to know Legolas was extremely clever. Still he had decided since he was half Sindarin that might possibly explain the anomaly.

Of course there had also been a lot of things in the book that did make sense.

It said he must be very direct so the Silvan didn't get distracted because they were so flighty and he did think Legolas could be kind of flighty.

He must speak slowly and calmly so they didn't become agitated. Elrohir HAD noticed Legolas could occasionally get agitated. Sometimes very agitated

Lastly it said he must remember at all times that he knew better. When he thought the Silvan was wrong they probably WERE wrong. He should simply ignore anything they said that wasn't right.

Just gently remind them you know what is good for them it said.

He was rather unsure how that piece of advice would go down.

"Be direct, speak slowly, I know better." He said to himself.

Legolas frowned at him.

"Didn't you hear me? I don't want company."

"Be direct, speak slowly, I know better." Elrohir mumbled.

He counted to ten, went over to Legolas and sat down.

" Are you deaf Elrohir? I don't want you here." Legolas was getting worked up…..agitated even, thought Elrohir

Speak calmly and slowly, He reminded himself.

"I know better." He said.

Legolas looked at him as if he had grown a third leg.

"You know better than me what I want? Is that what you think?"

'Be direct', Elrohir whispered, 'be direct.'

" Will you stop talking to yourself," Legolas complained. "You sound as if you are mad. Now please go away."

Elrohir looked at him.

"I am ignoring you."

"What?"

"You are not right. I am ignoring you."

Legolas stared at him in disbelief. Elrohir took that as a good sign, Legolas was not arguing back, he would go on with his plan he thought.

" I am not happy with things between you and I." He said.

Legolas shook his head as if he was hearing things.

"Are you dumping me Elrohir because you can't do that. I have already dumped you remember."

Elrohir forgot himself,

"No you haven't!" He snapped. No one dumped him, he had never been dumped in his life.

"I think you will find I have." Legolas said cooly.

"Speak calmly and slowly," Elrohir muttered, " He is wrong, I know better."

Legolas slowly edged further away from him on the bench carefully watching his every move as he did so.

"Is this some kind of Noldor mental illness?" he asked.

Elrohir picked up where he left off. It was do or die now, he must stick to the plan.

"I want more." He stated.

"More what?"

"I want more." He was getting frustrated, maybe the book was right and Legolas was a little slow. He needed to get this over and done with.

He stood up and faced Legolas so he could say his piece. He had practiced it for hours last night but suddenly the details escaped him. Counting to ten was no longer working.

He chose a spot randomly just above Legolas's head to look at and began.

"I am not happy with us, I want more…and I think you do too."

Legolas's mouth dropped open.

"You have not dumped me Legolas because I am here and I… do not want to leave."

"I am hallucinating," Legolas had found his voice. "I am fevered and this is some very, very strange dream."

Elrohir suddenly remembered the book said he needed to give the Silvan time to think. That must be the problem. Legolas was overwhelmed.

"I will give you time to think." He said. "So your slower thought processes can catch up." And he turned and walked away.

" My slower what? If I had the energy to get up Elrohir you would be dead right now!"

Elrohir kept walking. He could feel Legolas's eyes boring into his back. He reached the gate. Surely Legolas's thought processes had caught up by now.

"Elrohir!" Elrohir smiled to himself. Finally!

"Elrohir, I have a question….."

Elrohir turned around.

"How did you know where I was …..in the forest?"

Elrohir shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know, I just…did. A feeling pulled me toward you, it wouldn't leave me alone."

Legolas held him in a steady gaze.

"You are right."

Elrohir looked at him quizzically and he grinned back at him.

"You are right. I do want more." And Elrohir smiled broadly. The book had worked after all.

"Come and sit down, you look like an idiot." Legolas laughed out loud.

" I knew it" he said as he sat down beside him. "I knew I was right.".

They sat together, neither one speaking. Elrohir was basking in his happiness. Thank goodness for the book!

But then Legolas turned to him.

"What do we do now?"

Elrohir frowned,

"What do you mean?"

"You are right, I want more but….I have never done this….what do we do? Exactly how ARE you Deep and Meaningful? Do you know?"

"I don't know." Elrohir sighed. " I have never done this either. Perhaps we need to do what Glorfindel and Elladan do….the active listening."

Legolas shook his head.

" I cannot run. That won't work and besides….Elrohir, they look like idiots. I cannot do that, even for you. There must be something else."

"I know!" Elrohir sat upright. " I will watch them. If I see what they do…. It will give us some ideas."

He flung his arm around Legolas's shoulders and sighed happily as Legolas lent against him. It seemed so long since they had touched.

" I have to know though Elrohir," Legolas said quietly " why you did it. I know you were angry but you hurt me. Why did you tell those lies about my Father and Glorfindel? Deliberately?"

Elrohir was startled. "Lies? Are you sure? They were lies?"

"I am sure. I have never been more sure. I just don't understand why."

Elrohir was horrified.

" I didn't know!" He cried. "Honestly I didn't know. Elladan told me and Elladan never lies. Do you believe me?"

Legolas relaxed into him.

" I believe you." He whispered. Elrohir could tell he was tired.

"Why would Elladan do that?" He wondered aloud. " I am sure he said it came from Glorfindel? Did Glorfindel lie too? It makes no sense."

"Perhaps they have found out about the Eagles…" Legolas was half asleep but Elrohir pondered on his words. Perhaps they HAD discovered their trick with the Eagles. Perhaps that had been a way of getting their own back.

He was not happy about that. Not happy at all!


	9. Chapter 9

Elrohir was deep in thought as he struggled through the last few chapters of his book. He was determined to complete it lest there was something vital he might miss. He was so engrossed he failed to hear the light footsteps approaching him. He leapt two feet in the air when a pair of slender hands covered his eyes. The accompanying trill of laughter told him exactly who it was behind him.

"Legolas!" He reached up and peeled the hands from his eyes, swinging his head around to gaze at him. It was so good to see him at last. He had been banned from the healing rooms after they had discovered him with Legolas in the garden. Thranduil suspected he was guilty of helping him elude the healers and would not relent despite Legolas's heartfelt protests.

" You are up. They have let you out….or have you escaped?"

"No," Legolas laughed brightly, "I have permission this time. They say I am recovered….or mostly recovered…"

He winced slightly as he sat down next to Elrohir.

"Recovered enough to be trusted out on my own anyway." He shot Elrohir a cheeky grin and Elrohir felt his stomach flip.

He was still thinking on that when Legolas, quick as a flash, reached out and grabbed the book out from his hands.

"What's this?

"Give it back!" cried Elrohir. He had a very bad feeling about Legolas reading that book.

"I didn't know you were so studious," Legolas said. "I just want to see what it is you are interested in."

"It is nothing," Elrohir said hurriedly. " Erestor packed it for me, I just thought I should do him the courtesy of browsing through it."

"You didn't look as though you were browsing, you looked like you were studying." Legolas turned the book over in his hands, " 'How to Converse with the Silvans .' What is this Elrohir?" He frowned and opened it flicking though a few pages.

Elrohir squirmed in discomfort.

Legolas looked up from the book in astonishment.

"You are reading this? Listen….. 'Silvan's are quite a simple people, so stick to easy subjects of discussion such as the weather. Topics like politics will just cause them much confusion and distress.'….. Is this for real? Tell me you don't believe this."

"Well….." Mumbled Elrohir, "Not that part obviously, but there are some bits which-"

Legolas cut him off,

"- bits like this? ….'Be very direct. Silvans can be flighty and holding their interest can prove challenging.'"

"Well," Elrohir figured he had nothing to lose now, "Well you can be flighty, you have to admit that."

"I can hold a conversation for longer than a minute!" Legolas exclaimed. " This is even worse…. 'Stick to words of no more than two syllables so you do not overwhelm them.' …. My NAME is more than two syllables!"

Elrohir met his gaze with a challenge.

"Well do the others understand it?"

"Of course they understand it! This is ridiculous." He thumbed through a few more pages,

" ….Keep conversation very short, a Silvan can be distracted by something as small as a passing butterfly…"

"Yes!" Elrohir exclaimed, " you cannot deny that. You have done that yourself….in Imladris, I was trying to tell you something and you spent the whole time watching that butterfly on the bush beside us."

"It was beautiful…." Legolas muttered.

Elrohir sighed. He hung his head and waited for the inevitable explosion, all he heard however was peels of laughter.

"Elrohir, This has to be funniest thing I have ever read! Do the Noldor really think this of us? I would love to write a book explaining how to cope with the tedium of Noldor conversation!"

Elrohir stared at him,

" You are not angry?"

But Legolas just smiled, a wide and very inviting smile.

" Did you really believe this? Is this why you seemed a bit odd the other day?….talking to yourself…I had worried that stress had caused some damage. It is a relief if it is only this….this…rubbish."

" I feel a fool," Elrohir confessed. Obviously it was all groundless, what had he been thinking. Thank goodness he had found out the truth before he tried his tactics on Thranduil.

" Don't worry," Legolas laid a hand on his shoulder, "You are no more foolish than I, kissing every elf in Imladris."

Elrohir beamed at that. " Well I for one found that very pleasant. Who knows what time we would have wasted had you not…..greeted me!"

"If only I had not tried it out on Erestor first!" Legolas's laughter burst forth and Elrohir found himself filled with joy at the sound of it.

" Oh, that reminds me!" A thought drifted into Elrohir's head that he had completely forgotten until this moment.

" Elladan thinks Glorfindel might have had something going on with Erestor."

Legolas frowned, "I don't think I ever want to listen to Elladan's theories on Glorfindel's love life again. Why does he not stop? It has already caused quite enough trouble."

Elrohir shrugged.

"Well I am not sure why he thinks it, he wouldn't tell me but, surely it is harmless enough to speculate on it this time."

Legolas pondered it briefly,

"I had heard Erestor was pining for a Feanorian."

"Well yes," Elrohir admitted "There is that, he is completely obsessed about Maglor. You are right. I can't see him ever getting beyond that."

"Well I can tell you one thing," Legolas grinned at him,

"He is well practised."

"What do you mean?"

"When I kissed him, although I took him by surprise…he did not seem like an elf who had kissed no one for thousands of years. He was ….well rehearsed!"

Elrohir was surprised at that news.

" On a more serious note," Legolas turned to him, changeable once again. It really did wear Elrohir out keeping up with him.

"Have you been watching Elladan and Glorfindel? Have you discovered the secrets to being Deep and Meaningful?"

Elrohir's shoulders slumped.

" No, I have not even managed to catch them together. Either they are hiding from me….or there is some other reason they are avoiding one another. I did speak to Elladan though, he was not helpful. When I bought up the subject he became…. melancholy. He did tell me Father had suggested Glorfindel buy him flowers…but that was all."

"Flowers?" Legolas was intrigued. " What on earth for? What would he do with them…..eat them?"

"I don't know," Elrohir confessed. "They never tried it so Elladan didn't know either. To tell the truth…I am not happy with him at the moment, we did not talk long."

Legolas gave him a long thoughtful look. He held out the book.

" Can I borrow this?" He asked, "Just for a night or two? I would like to read more."

Elrohir looked at him with surprise.

"Really…but it is rubbish you said."

"Amusing rubbish," Legolas smiled fetchingly and Elrohir could not resist him.

"Of course, just look after it, Erestor is very particular with his books."

Legolas placed his arm companionably around him.

" So, I seem to remember promising you a tour of my rooms….some days ago…that Galion so rudely interrupted. Shall we pick it up where we left off? Or is that not the done thing when you are Deep and Meaningful?"

"Oh," Elrohir said with enthusiasm. " I think it very much IS the thing. I think it is the perfect thing indeed!"

"I may not be up to much," Legolas warned him, and he felt him lean his weight slightly against him as they walked, so he was not as well as he appeared then.

" I am sure we can work around that."

Legolas's smile lit Erohir's heart on fire. Could life get any better than this?, he thought, He did not think so, He did not think so at all!

…..

Elladan was disturbed by a knock on the door. His heart leapt, maybe it was Glorfindel? But then again, he didn't really want to see Glorfindel at all. As days went on and they ignored each other and were no more than barely polite, the idea of speaking to him became more and more difficult. With a heavy heart he crossed the room to open the door.

Much to his surprise he was confronted by Legolas, the last person he had expected. Their relationship since the first had been strained and things had really not improved.

"Sorry to bother you Elladan," Legolas said brightly, "I was looking for Elrohir."

Elladan was confused. Surely Legolas knew who was in which room….especially which one was Elrohir's. He looked at him closely. Dark circles lay under his eyes and he still looked pale, plus also, for some strange reason, very dishevelled. Perhaps he had suffered some kind of memory loss with his injury?

"I'm sorry Legolas, you have the wrong room."

"Oh not at all," Legolas replied, "He was not in his own room, I wondered if he was here, no matter…..would you give him something for me, and a message?"

Elladan thought that was a bit strange. Surely Legolas would see Elrohir soon enough, if not before him and he could have left whatever it was he needed to give him in his room. Nonetheless as he was trying to be polite and improve things between them he nodded his head in agreement.

"Of course."

Legolas held out a small book.

"I wanted to return this to him, can you tell him how excellent I found it."

Elladan took it and glanced at the title. His eyes widened in disbelief.

"You read this? Elrohir GAVE you this?"

The book was that awful 'How to Converse with the Silvans'. He could have sworn it was antiquated, erroneous and positively insulting.

"Yes indeed," Legolas said earnestly. " It was marvellous, so informative. You know," he leant in close to Elladan and dropped his voice to a whisper.

"I wish I had been able to read this earlier. It would have made dealing with my father so much easier."

"Your Father?" Elladan was now somewhat confused.

"He is so difficult to talk to." Legolas explained, "and this book is just amazing. It is the perfect way to control him, keep him happy. We all should have a copy!"

"But your Father is not a Silvan at all." Elladan argued.

"I know, that confused me too." Legolas was so intense, "But he has lived here for….oh, so long….I guess they have converted him to their conversational ways. I tell you, these are the best strategies for handling him you could get."

Elladan gazed at the book in his hand. Could this be right?

"So, if you could give it to Elrohir?" Legolas was continuing, "With my thanks, it would be most appreciated."

"Oh yes…..yes, of course I will" Elladan replied and Legolas with a short bow departed the room, smiling broadly as he left.

Elladan stood where he left him starting at the book. Was it really that accurate? It didn't seem possible…..maybe, he thought as he slid it in his pocket, maybe he would just find a quiet place somewhere and give it a read.

Having a way to handle Thranduil could come in very handy.


	10. Chapter 10

Glorfindel stared moodily at his food, pushing it randomly around his plate. Swearing under his breath angrily at Elrond as he did so, as he had done so every day since he had arrived in this godforsaken forest.

Another breakfast with Thranduil, another hour spent desperately wondering what to say and waiting for the Eagle religion to rear its ugly head. Erestor really should have been the one to come here. He was the diplomat, he was the one with the golden tongue who knew exactly what to say to everyone…..well everyone except Maglor obviously. It was just not Glorfindel's forte. He was a warrior, he had no skills in managing grumpy, oversensitive, bad tempered, Noldor hating Kings.

To be fair Thranduil did seem to have mellowed since Legolas's miraculous recovery and the twins part in that had forced him to grudgingly accept them but still Glorfindel felt as if every word he uttered was the wrong one….and as for his own personal life, well that was a disaster. Elladan avoided him diligently. They barely spoke and had not even started to discuss the issue that hung unspoken in the air between them.

He let out a sigh.

"Food not to your liking Glorfindel?" Thranduil asked with sarcasm, ( It seemed to be his favourite mode of speech.)

"Not refined enough for your Noldor tastes?"

Glorfindel resisted the temptation to roll his eyes. Could he not even sigh now without getting in to a difficult situation?

" It is fine thank you," he replied. "Perhaps I just had too much of your delicious food for dinner last night, I find I am simply not hungry." Thranduil looked at him with suspicion.

Much to Glorfindel's relief Elladan chose that moment to strike up a conversation. Rather him than Elrohir, Glorfindel thought, who was far too chirpy for anyone's good since Legolas had been released from the healing rooms. Glorfindel was just waiting for this exuberant version of Elrohir to get himself into mischief and unfortunately Legolas was absent this morning at training, to prepare him for his return to patrols, so not available to help keep Elrohir in line.

"My Lord," Elladan spoke with unexpected confidence,

"the weather is nice today, don't you think. The sun is shining."

Thranduil looked at him as though he was an orc who had suddenly appeared in his dining room.

"It is a pleasant day I suppose." He replied eventually

The sun will make it very warm, I think" Elladan was speaking as if to a small child, as if Thranduil had an intelligence problem. What on earth was he doing? Glorfindel threw him an angry glare.

Thranduil stared at Elladan in no small degree of amazement. He turned to Glorfindel,

"Do they not have the sun in Imladris?" He asked

Glorfindel shrugged his shoulders weakly, but Elladan wasn't to be deterred.

"I just thought to mention," he said earnestly, " You might be overdressed."

Glorfindel looked at him in horror, had he lost his mind? Questioning Thranduil's dress sense?

"You what?" Thranduil too it seemed was at a loss for words.

Elladan smiled his sweetest smile, ignoring Elrohir's desperate tugging on his arm.

"You will be too warm sire. Your robe is magnificent but I think it would be better if you…..maybe found one more lightweight today."

" You think I do not know how to dress myself? You think I need a Noldor to instruct me on what to wear in the morning?" Thranduil was beginning to work himself into a state of extreme annoyance.

Glorfindel decided he had to stop this. He didn't know what Elladan was up to but it was all about to go very, very wrong.

"Elladan.." He began in a warning tone, but he was too late, Elladan was in full swing.

"I have your best interests at heart," he smiled brightly, "I think it is obvious I know better how to –"

At that Elrohir leapt to his feet, dragging Elladan up with him.

"I must apologise My Lord" he said hastily, "Elladan and I promised Legolas we would meet him at training and we are late. I would not want to keep him waiting, please excuse us." And he bowed deeply.

"Of course," Thranduil said gruffly and Elrohir began to drag Elladan behind him out of the room.

"But I haven't finished…." Elladan was not going to give up his conversation easily

"Yes you have Brother, yes you have." Glorfindel heard Elrohir mutter as they departed the room. He stared after them blankly. What had that all been about? Glorfindel threw a quick glance at Thranduil who was also gazing after the twins with a stupefied look on his face.

Eventually Thranduil leaned across the table towards him.

"Glorfindel," he said quietly, " I know the boy is a gifted healer, that was obvious when he was treating Legolas but to be honest with you, I wonder….is he all there? I mean, are you sure he is right in the head?"

"He can be highly strung." Glorfindel mumbled.

Honestly why was Elladan behaving so oddly? Thank goodness Thranduil did not seem to have taken offence.

Thranduil continued, " Poor Elrond, I wonder where he went wrong? It must be such a shame having a son who is slightly…odd, and the other one is uncontrollable, with that spider fetish," at this Thranduil gave a shudder and Glorfindel raised an eyebrow, spider fetish? What did he mean by that?

"Oh how he must worry. Such a disappointment, poor man. I do feel quite sorry for him." Personally Glorfindel didn't think Thranduil looked as if he felt sorry for Elrond at all. In fact he looked positively gleeful.

"Well now that they have left us, perhaps you could help me with something, I must confess I forgot all about it with Legolas being injured. We could deal with it now." Thranduil smiled at him, the effect was quite disarming and completely unexpected.

"Now?" Glorfindel wasn't at all sure about this. This must be the Eagles finally come back to haunt him.

"Yes indeed," Thranduil stood majestically and went to exit the room,

"Follow me, Glorfindel, Follow me."

…..

Elrohir dragged Elladan down the corridor behind him, his brother protesting all the way.

"Let me go Elrohir!"

"No!" he replied firmly, "You will just go back and make more of a fool of yourself. What did you think you were doing?"

"Having a conversation," Elladan was most indignant. " Why did you not let me finish?"

Elrohir stopped and stared at his brother.

"Are you serious? Let you continue to insult Thranduil by suggesting he can't even dress himself. Are you ill?"

"I was being direct." Elladan explained patiently, "I was gently reminding him I knew what was good for him."

Elrohir began to get a very uneasy feeling.

"Why did you think you should do that?" He asked tentatively almost afraid of the answer.

"It said it in the book!" Elladan exclaimed.

"What book?" Elrohir knew he REALLY didn't want to know.

"This one." Elladan produced a small book from his pocket and Elrohir knew, his stomach sinking, exactly what book it was.

"The one Erestor gave you."

"Where did you get that?" Elrohir knew the answer before he asked the question.

"Legolas gave it to me…no wait Elrohir, don't be angry….he asked me to give it to you, I just, I just decided to read it first."

Elrohir slowly let out his breath and relaxed his clenched teeth, perhaps he was guilty of jumping to the wrong conclusions. Legolas had been trying to return the book to him.

"Why did you pay any attention to that book, Elladan? You told me yourself it was not accurate, that I shouldn't use it."

Elladan smiled,

"Well, yes, I did think it a bit archaic….but after Legolas recommended it so strongly, well I just had to see for myself."

"Legolas recommended it?" Elrohir's voice was cold.

Elladan didn't notice and carried on enthusiastically,

"He said he wished he had read it years ago, that they should all have one. It is perfect Elrohir, he said so himself, perfect for managing his father! Glorfindel is displeased with me at the moment, he is so tense around Thranduil, I thought, if I could only just make Thranduil happy, show Glorfindel I could handle him. Well, he might forgive me….think better of me. I am sorry I kept your book. I really am."

Elrohir felt his blood begin to boil. He was beyond furious. He turned on his heels striding away from his brother.

"Elrohir, wait!" Elladan called after him, "What is wrong?"

Elrohir swallowed his rage and called back lightly, "Nothing at all, don't worry Elladan. I just need to see Legolas, a personal matter."

"I was coming with you…" Elladan replied anxiously.

"I think….I think this is best dealt with just Legolas and I. I will see you later Elladan, just don't …don't give Thranduil any more advice on his clothing."

And Elrohir took off, running as fast as he could towards the Training grounds. He spotted Legolas even before he arrived, his pale gold hair drew the eyes towards him. Elrohir didn't stop and wait to be invited over to see him, He just marched right in to the group of warriors Legolas was with.

"Legolas, can I speak with you?" His voice was abrupt and cutting but Legolas at first didn't notice.

"You made it!" He grinned happily at Elrohir, eyes lit up with joy.

"We need some privacy." Was Elrohir's terse reply.

Legolas frowned. "Of course." He drew Elrohir away from the cluster of men.

He tilted his head at Elrohir in confusion.

"Is there a problem?"

"Breakfast was interesting." Elrohir began, no amusement at all in his tone. "Elladan attempted to tell your Father he knew better than him which robe he should be wearing. He suggested Thranduil was not capable of dressing himself."

Legolas's eyes danced with amusement, his face split by a wide happy smile.

"He did? Oh I wish I could have seen it! I knew he couldn't resist reading that book."

"You admit it then?" Elrohir was horrified.

"YOU did this?"

"Of course I did it," Legolas finally caught up,with the fact Elrohir was less than pleased. "He asked for it. You can not expect….after what he did to me I would do nothing?"

Elrohir's long suppressed fury boiled over.

"I DO EXPECT IT!" He shouted enraged. "I told you, I TOLD you in Imladris. Do not involve Elladan in your tricks. Do not! He is my brother. I will deal with him, You will not hurt him!"

"It was harmless Elrohir," Legolas was taken aback, " After what he did to me…..to us…..he nearly destroyed us. He hurt me. He hurt ME! Does that count for nothing?"

"I said I will deal with him. It is not for you-"

"I waited…." Legolas was also getting hot under the collar. " I waited for you to deal with it, you did nothing, you seem not to care. Is this how it will always be? Elladan comes before me?"

"He is my brother." Elrohir was not backing down. Nothing made him angrier than someone hurting his brother, nothing. No matter who they were.

"You will leave him alone. Leave him alone no matter what he does!"

Legolas's face fell " It was a harmless prank, not worthy of you being so upset. Do you still not understand how much he hurt me? Do you not care we may have not recovered from that…..I thought….Did you not even care about the damage he did to us?"

Elrohir's weak point had always been his temper and his temper when it came to Elladan was at its most uncontrollable. He did not stop to think on Legolas's words. He did not stop to think at all, just let his anger carry him away.

" I care about my Brother!" He cried as he strode away furiously. "And you…..I do not care for you at all!"

It was only later, when he had calmed down somewhat, sitting in his room on his own. He realised exactly what it was he had said.

It was then the regret hit him. It was then he wondered if perhaps Legolas had been right, it was not worth him being so upset.

Why hadn't he kept his mouth shut?


	11. Chapter 11

Glorfindel stood in Thranduil's study. The desk in front of him was covered with documents and sheets of paper. Every possible space was used, it looked a complete mess.

"This is what I need your help with," Thranduil said, gesturing to the pile of paperwork with a flourish. " It is an absolute nightmare."

Glorfindel's face fell. Paperwork? Why on earth did Thranduil think he could help with that? It was certainly not his strong point, far from it in fact.

"I am not sure –" he began hesitantly.

"It is from Elrond," Thranduil explained. "He sent it with you but I have no idea what any of it means. I don't even know what it is he wants from me. I have spent hours agonising over this…I need you to help me write a reply."

Glorfindel had a vague memory of Elrond giving Elladan a large pile of documents to bring with him. This must be them. But as to helping, well Glorfindel sincerely doubted he would be able to.

"What are they about?" He asked picking up one of the sheets of paper. It was covered with strange diagrams that made no sense to him at all.

"What are these meant to be? Some kind of runes?"

Thranduil sighed and went over to the desk to shuffle through the heap at the side.

"As far as I can make out they appear to be about some kind of plumbing. He says he wants my input. He wants to know about our plumbing services and how these compare. Glorfindel…" He spun around to look Glorfindel in the eye,

"I really don't know where to start! Why on earth does he think I would know anything about plumbing? Why does he think I even care? If there is one plus to being King it is that the plumbing seems to take care of itself!"

"Ah" Glorfindel replied, " Yes, it is true Elrond has become somewhat obsessed with our plumbing lately, but I am afraid I can not help you. I find it all so tediously boring I never paid the slightest attention, I have found plumbing meetings are a very good time to catch up on sleep."

"That is no help! He expects a reply, I cannot have him thinking we are some kind of plumbing backwater here."

Glorfindel had an idea, "Why don't you delegate it? You must have someone here so lacking in inspiration that plumbing would seem an exciting topic. Get them to do it for you. What about your butler fellow, he seems reasonably intelligent."

Thranduil smiled, "An excellent idea! I think I will act on that immediately," he began to gather the papers together. "Glorfindel, you are turning out to be not that bad at all…..for a Noldor."

Glorfindel was astonished,

"You don't mind about the Eagles then?" It slipped out before he could stop himself.

Thranduil looked at him strangely.

"What Eagles?"

"Thorondor…." Glorfindel said impulsively, could he not keep his mouth shut, he thought to himself, he really did have a case of verbal diarrhoea today.

"Thorondor?" Thranduil exclaimed. "That pain in the arse? Why do you speak of him? The less I have to do with those bunch of useless Eagles the better. Don't tell me you are keen on them."

Suddenly things began to fall into place in Glorfindel's mind.

"You don't see Thorondor often then?" He asked. "He doesn't pay you regular visits?"

Thranduil threw back his head and laughed.

"As if!" He exclaimed "He would not dare show his face here. Whatever gave you that idea?"

"Your son actually," sighed Glorfindel. How had he been so gullible. All that worry, Just wait until he next saw Elrohir for he was surely at the bottom of this.

"My son?" Thranduil tried to smother his laughter but failed. "Glorfindel, I do believe you are the victim of some mischief making. What HAVE you done to make Legolas feel he needs to retaliate? I can tell you from experience it is not a good idea to get on his wrong side, the results can be quite discomforting!"

What had he done indeed…..Glorfindel had absolutely no idea.

….

Some hours later Glorfindel wandered away from the halls across the grounds looking for a quiet place to sit and finish off his glass of wine. Thranduil was actually quite good company he decided. They had had a very pleasant morning laughing about Elrond's insanely boring plumbing. It had been made much more pleasant by the addition of some rather potent vintage wine and he felt he may even be ever so slightly drunk.

He sat himself down on a small bank and swirled his wine slowly in his glass. How he missed Elladan. He wondered if perhaps he should just apologise and get it over with.

"Lord Glorfindel, can I join you?"

Glorfindel jumped a mile as Legolas threw himself down beside him.

"Ah, I see you have been sampling some of Fathers special wine. It is rather good is it not." Legolas smiled .

Glorfindel looked sideways at him.

"Yes it is, in fact I am sure you will be interested to know we have spent the morning having a very interesting chat about eagles."

For a moment there was complete silence. Then Legolas finally spoke.

"Ah…you have found me out then."

"Indeed I have."

Another silence followed as Legolas chewed on his fingernails.

"Does my Father know?"

"Yes he does." Glorfindel found he was rather enjoying this.

Legolas hung his head.

"Oh…I wonder if my recent injury is still fresh enough in his mind to spare me the worst of this…..how bad will it be do you think?"

Glorfindel smiled.

"I am sure if you took care to limp a bit he may go easy on you. Perhaps you should see him now….he seems to be in quite a good mood."

"Perhaps I will," Legolas replied, "but if you can bear to speak to me I would like to see you first, it is of importance…..to me at least."

Glorfindel looked at him closely. He seemed very despondent and he didn't think it was all down to the Eagles.

He smiled his most encouraging smile,

"Go ahead Legolas."

Legolas began fidgeting,

"I need to speak to you about Elrohir," he confessed in the end.

Glorfindel raised his eyebrows in surprise.

Legolas sighed,

"You know they tell each other everything, That they will protect each other before us. I struggle with this Glorfindel."

"I see, you talk of Elladan AND Elrohir. I don't think I can help you Legolas, I struggle with it also."

Legolas gave him a rueful smile.

" Perhaps then, since they will tell each other about us anyway we should beat them to it. They can't share our secrets if we already know them!"

Glorfindel laughed out loud at that.

" You may have something there Legolas. We need our own team I think."

Legolas grinned,

"You know they are obsessed with the idea you are involved with Erestor don't you?"

Glorfindel spluttered into his wine spraying most of it inelegantly across the grass.

"What?!"

"Yes," said Legolas suddenly serious, watching him closely. He paused for a few seconds.

"Is it still going on?"

"Is it what?..." Glorfindel struggled to think of what to say. He was too drunk to deal with this properly he realised. Perhaps he should just give up. He sighed loudly.

"I imagine you think the Noldor a rather strange and frigid people," he said in the end. "But it has not always been so. In the past…when I lived before, we were not as we are now. The Feanorians….well, they were as wild and free as any Silvan. Free in their lovemaking as they were in anything."

Legolas leant forward with interest.

"And so were a lot of us…." Glorfindel continued. "You can imagine my disappointment when I came back, reborn and discovered the Noldor had somehow managed to turn themselves into a bunch of prudes while I was away."

Legolas clapped his hand over his mouth to suppress a burst of laughter.

"So Erestor and I…, we have lived a different life….in the past we have been….well, there have been times for comfort, to ease loneliness, for fun, I am sure you know what I mean. It was never anything of the heart. Not like that. Maybe once long ago on my part but his heart is given to Maglor, I always knew that."

"So a casual on and off thing then? You are right I do understand. It is our way, why not if it is needed or the occasion demands it?"

"Oh yes!" Glorfindel replied. "I can think of when the occasion demanded it! The night I returned for one…..oh Erestor was VERY pleased to see me then! That was a good night."

"And now?" Legolas asked, "YOUR heart is given to Elladan…..and so it stops?"

"It stops. Elladan would not understand."

Legolas looked downcast.

"How do you do that Glorfindel? Do you not regret it? And Erestor? What of him?"

Glorfindel smiled reassuringly.

"In truth it was Erestor who pressed me to commit to Elladan, to do what he would need me to. It is worth it Legolas, I regret nothing….although to say I do not miss that closeness with Erestor sometimes would be a lie. But no regrets."

Legolas retreated into silence. It was some minutes before he next spoke.

"I do not think I can do it." He said sadly,

"It has been on my mind… to tell the truth Glorfindel," he took a breath,

"I think…..I find I am in love with Elrohir, I have told no one that, not even him. But duty means we will be far apart for much of our time and …..I cannot do that," he glanced at Glorfindel,

"I am Silvan, I feel Silvan." And he smiled quietly to himself, " And for us Silvans so much of our lovemaking is recreational so to speak. To give that up…to be alone, all the time…..It would be too hard. I would not be me."

Glorfindel leaned over and placed his arm around the melancholy elf beside him.

"Elrohir is not his brother Legolas. You should speak to him of this…of all that troubles you. You may find he surprises you. I have always thought Elrohir, he is the least like a Noldor of all of them. I think it is his Maia blood that makes him so contrary! You may find he is worrying about this very thing himself."

Legolas looked at him and grinned, the change of mood was took Glorfindel by surprise. His face split wide with a smile and his eyes danced with merriment.

.

"I will Glorfindel, I WILL speak to him!" He leapt to his feet and made to leave but he turned back at the last minute and leaned over, voice low, speaking conspiratorially.

"Don't worry Glorfindel." He lifted his fingers to his lips.

"I will say nothing. This will be our secret. Perhaps the first of many. They will not hear the truth from me….in fact…..if I can lead them off the scent for you I will do!"

" Just one more thing Legolas," Glorfindel called after him. " Perhaps you can help me. I have heard strange things about Elrohir and since I am supposed to be here to control him…..well, perhaps I should do something about it."

Legolas looked at him quizzically.

"I don't think he has been in any trouble here. I have given him no time to!"

"You have heard nothing about spiders then? Something to do with a fetish? It sounds very odd. I wonder if he needs some help."

A thought suddenly occurred to Glorfindel,

"Unless you….if it is something the two of you share? Forgive me, perhaps I am too intrusive. My apologies." He said hurriedly. An image of Legolas, Elrohir and some spiders flashed through his mind and he realised he did not want to go there at all.

Legolas somehow managed to look horrified and amused at the same time.

"I do not," He exclaimed loudly " I absolutely do not share that!" He bent down and dropped his voice to a whisper.

" To be honest, I detest them. You have no idea how difficult it is to be a prince here with a spider phobia. Thank goodness I am an archer so I do not have to get too close to them. As for Elrohir….well," he paused to consider something then appeared to disregard it.

"As for Elrohir," he smiled, "Glorfindel, It is just a misunderstanding I promise. Elrohir has never even seen a spider!"

Glorfindel listened to his merry laughter as he walked away and couldn't help but smile despite himself,

"Glorfindel!" Legolas turned once more and called to him with a joyful voice,

"About the spider phobia…that is our secret also! You keep mine and I will keep yours, and if they ever find out…..those two, let it not be from us!"

"They shall not!" He called back.

"Let them share what they will, it will not matter now!"

And somehow that made him feel so much better.


	12. Chapter 12

Elrohir spent some time in his room pondering just what had gone wrong. He couldn't make up his mind. Perhaps Legolas was right and he had over-reacted? Then again, he had warned Legolas about messing with Elladan, why had he just ignored him?

He was still thinking on it and vacillating between being regretful and being angry when a quiet knocking sounded at his door. Perhaps it was Legolas come to apologise? He leapt to his feet eagerly but when he opened the door he was faced with Elladan standing there rather uncomfortably, for he seemed to be carrying a very large shrub.

"What are you doing?

"Can I come in?" Elladan asked, " This is heavy." And he stumbled into the room dropping clumps of dirt everywhere he walked.

"What on earth?"

"Someone left this outside your door." Elladan dumped the shrub unceremoniously on the ground. I thought you might want it inside."

"Someone left it? How bizarre, I am sure it is not meant for me, they must have got the wrong room."

Elladan frowned.

" You were not expecting it then?" He looked with concern at the bush. "You do not think it might be some kind of message? Perhaps a warning…does anyone wish to do you harm?"

" Are you serious? Elrohir laughed, " who would leave a bush as a warning? That would be just…..idiotic. How threatening…..a shrub."

He bent down and studied it closer. The shrub was covered in hundreds of beautiful flowers but was starting to droop quite alarmingly.

"It is dying," Elrohir said, "it is so beautiful that would be a shame. We should plant it somewhere."

Elladan looked at him as if he had lost his senses.

"You truly have been spending far too much time with Legolas. You have gone all woodelfy….touchy feely about plants. If you don't want it throw it away somewhere."

"No." Elrohir was determined. I am going to find somewhere to plant it."

"You can't just chuck it in the ground. You have to know what you are doing. It is not that easy just to go off and plant shrubs.I know….Erestor told me. Did he send you with a gardening book?"

"No," Elrohir felt depressed. He really wanted to plant this shrub and he didn't even know why.

He went over and hoisted it clumsily into his arms for it was very large

"Come on then, are you going to help me? I need to find someone who knows how to do this."

Elladan sighed and rolled his eyes.

"Well if you insist." And he traipsed along behind.

"Elrohir" he said as the pair of them slowly trudged across the grounds looking for a clear planting place and also some sort of gardener.

"Tell me. That Conversing with Silvan's book. It is complete rubbish isn't it. Legolas tricked me."

"Yes." Elrohir said moodily, " Yes he did."

Elladan smiled,

"Well it WAS a rather good trick," He chuckled, "and I suppose I did deserve it."

"You are not angry?" Elrohir was surprised.

"Of course not, and after….well….I have not told you but…..um…."

He stumbled over his words.

"You see I…..it kind of….Glorfindel….." And he eventually ran out of steam.

Elrohir stared at him hard.

"If you are trying to tell me you were wrong about Glorfindel and Thranduil, that you singlehandedly nearly destroyed my relationship with Legolas and almost got him killed, and then you let me believe it was all my fault, I know about that." He snapped.

"Yes well," Elladan avoided making eye contact "I didn't mean any of it to happen….and I …..I thought….." He looked up contritely,

"I am sorry Elrohir, I should have confessed to it earlier. In truth I should never have said anything at all. Glorfindel is not speaking to me because of it, I will go and apologise to him to this evening for I cannot bear it, and Legolas, well he was well within his rights to retaliate I suppose."

Elrohir sighed heavily.

"So he was right and I did overreact this morning." He let the shrub drop to the ground.

"Oh tell me you have not argued over this!"

"I will not tell you then" Elrohir replied.

"Elrohir, I do not want you to fight with Legolas over me! You must stop doing this. I am big enough and old enough to look after myself. It is not worth you losing him. I know you love him."

"I do not!" Elrohir protested weakly.

Elladan looked at him long and hard.

"Have it your way then but I think you will find I am right." And he picked up the shrub and continued on their way. Elrohir dragging his feet behind him.

….

A part of Elrohir knew he was dreaming and yet he could not wake himself from the nightmare. The forest pressed around him dense and claustrophobic, the trees dark and menacing.

He bent over Legolas in a complete panic, desperately struggling to stop his blood ebbing away, watching it flow over his hands and crying, screaming at him not to leave.

"Legolas, Legolas, please!" He cried and sat bolt up right in his bed.

The forest and the dying Legolas disappeared and around him instead he saw his room in the Kings Halls, lit by the dying embers of the fire.

"A dream," he whispered to himself, "It was just a dream."

But the images of the dream loomed large in his mind, he couldn't shake them and the feelings of panic and terror still gripped him.

He leapt from his bed and staggered to the door. Struggling, and losing, to try and slow his racing heart and shaking hands he began to make his way down the darkened corridor. He had to get to Legolas, he had to see for himself he was alright.

He banged loudly on his door and when he didn't answer shouted for him, desperation overtook him.

"Legolas, please answer!" He felt for a second he was in the dream again begging for him to live.

It seemed an age before the door opened and Legolas stood before him dazed and confused. Elrohir reached out his hand and touched his face.

"You are alive!"

Legolas placed his own hand over Elrohir's,

"Elrohir….you are shaking! Come in." He took Elrohir's hand and led him inside steering him to a seat by the fire. Elrohir sat, his eyes following Legolas's every move as he lit the lamps and poured them both a glass of wine. He was alive! Elrohir couldn't tear his eyes off him.

Legolas handed him his glass and sat down beside him.

"What is wrong?" He asked gently.

Suddenly Elrohir felt very foolish. What was he thinking, getting so worked up over a dream, he was acting as a child.

"It was nothing, a dream is all…..nothing, I shouldn't have bothered you."

"A dream?" Legolas leant forward intently, "A dream about me? Do you have foresight?"

"No! No, Do not worry, it was not foresight." He insisted, "more… a memory…"

"A memory in which I am dead?"

"A memory in which I thought you were. I am sorry, Legolas," Elrohir made as if to stand.

"I should leave, I have disturbed you."

Legolas reached out and grabbed his arm.

"Don't go, I am pleased you are need to talk."

Elrohir smiled slightly,

"That is an understatement. To tell the truth I had hoped I might see you earlier, when you didn't come…..I was worried I had….I had harmed us with my careless words."

Legolas looked confused,

"Did you not get my gift?"

"Your gift?" Elrohir had no idea what he was talking about.

" The gift I left you, outside your doors, the flowers like your Father said."

"That bush?" Elrohir exclaimed, "You left that? Legolas….I think, when Father said flowers…..you are meant to pick the flowers only, not the whole bush!"

"If I had done that they would have died Elrohir." Legolas explained patiently

Elrohir touched him gently on the arm.

"But you know once you have dug up the bush it will die too."

Legolas was horrified.

"Did you not plant it somewhere?!"

Elrohir grinned, really Legolas was such a Wood Elf!

"I did as it happens" he said " and you have no idea how long it took me, I had to hunt high and low for a gardener to help me."

Legolas grabbed his hand and dragged him to his feet excitedly.

"Come and show me! I wish to see what you have done."

"It is the middle of the night," Elrohir could not help but laugh,

"I will show you in the morning."

"Show me now!" Legolas was not taking no for an answer,

"The stars will light our way, come on Elrohir. Be daring, let your Silvan side loose for a change!"

"I do not have a Silvan side."

"Your Sindarin side then, or the Maia, even your human blood would be more spontaneous than the Noldor!" Legolas laughed out loud. "I know you have it in you somewhere!"

His exuberant enthusiasm was contagious and Elrohir was filled with joy as they ran out of the room and into the night.

"Just stay away from spiders," Legolas giggled.

"Spiders?"

"Did you not know?" Legolas let go his hand and danced out of reach.

"The word is you are keen on them. Should I be jealous Elrohir Elrondion? Will you leave me for a spider? If you do I will have to tell my Father….and yours!"

"You know that is not true!" Elrohir cried, laughing as he did so, he felt so alive, so filled with goodwill and happiness. He watched Legolas dancing through the darkness, starlight gleaming of his glorious hair. How lucky was he? Elrohir though, to have been blessed with a lover such as this.

"Legolas come back here! Legolas" and he ran after him, spirit soaring, into the dark.


	13. Chapter 13

Epilogue: Several years later…(or several hundred years,take your pick!)

Aragorn was weary. Simply watching Legolas as he flitted around him from one place to the other was tiring.

"Legolas! Stay in one place for goodness sake." He complained.

Legolas just laughed.

"Can you not keep up with me mortal?"

Aragorn sighed,

"You are in such a wearying mood today. I suppose it is because Elrohir is due back here in Imladris tonight."

Legolas's smile split his face in two.

"It has been so long…surely you do not resent me seeing him once again!"

"Of course I do not resent it! I am just running out of energy keeping up with you when you are like this."

"Happy, you mean?" And Aragorn smiled as he watched Legolas skipping…yes he was skipping, …..down the path. He seemed so young and lighthearted. A frown creased Aragorn's brow as he thought of his brother due back that day. As much as he loved him he did feel uneasy when it came to his relationship with Legolas.

They climbed the stairs into the hall and followed the corridor round to Legolas's rooms.

"He is here!" Legolas's cry of glee echoed down the corridor and he sprinted the short distance to his door.

"Aragorn, he is here already!" He turned and Aragorn, hurrying to keep up saw he held a large flowering shrub in his arms.

"What is that?" He asked for it was a strange sight.

"Our shrub," explained Legolas patiently.

"Elrohir has left it for me, so I know that he is here….it is our thing!" And he took off, carrying the shrub, back the way they had just come.

Aragorn stared after him in confusion and Legolas called out over his shoulder to him,

"Are you not coming with me?"

"Don't you want to go and see Elrohir?" This was, Aragorn thought, very strange.

"Oh yes! But I must plant this first, it is what we always do…come and see." And Legolas skipped off, only slightly impeded by the bush he was carrying.

"Your thing?" Aragorn asked when he caught up with him. "What do you mean?"

Legolas paused in his wild walk through the grounds.

"You have to have a "thing" Aragorn, if you are to be Deep and Meaningful. How can you not know that? Elladan and Glorfindel have one."

"You mean their active listening?" Aragorn asked. To be honest he could not think of the crazy running and shouting those two did without a desperate desire to laugh.

"Yes that is their thing and this is ours!" Legolas looked at him with concern.

"Do not tell me you and Arwen do not have a "thing". It is important Aragorn."

"I think…" Aragorn thought fast about how to get himself out of this without causing offence, "I think that is more of an Elven tradition….you know…..we humans, it is not something we do."

"But Arwen is an elf.." Legolas gave him a hard look, "you must think on it. I will help you!" And he threw him a cheeky smile and took off again, dragging the bush behind him.

Aragon followed after him, struggling to keep up as he led him to the far corner of Imladris. Finally they turned off the track through some trees and emerged into a small, secret, well hidden glade. Aragorn stopped and looked around himself with amazement. Everywhere he looked were flowering shrubs and bushes, planted haphazardly all over the glade. The effect was a most bizarre one.

"What do you think? Is it not glorious?" Legolas exclaimed.

"It is….." His first thought was to say it was incredibly odd but Legolas looked so happy, so pleased with himself, he could not do it.

"It is beautiful Legolas." He said in the end, crossing his fingers behind his back.

"Every time one of us has been away from here and arrives back we do this, leave a bush and plant it. See….." He gestured to the multitude of bushes growing there. "See how many times….see how wonderful it has become." And Legolas bent down and began to dig a hole for the new bush he had just received.

"We have a garden just like this in the Woods as well, for when Elrohir goes there and it is just as beautiful!"

Aragorn watched his friend as he worked, busily digging and placing the bush carefully in the ground. His anxiety about what he knew ate away at him, for years he had wished to say something and not had the courage.

Legolas stopped his work and looked up at him, his face was shining with joy, luminous and glowing with happiness and love and Aragorn's guilt got the better of him.

"Legolas…." He said hesitantly,

"You know…..you do know that Elrohir…..when he is here and you are not, well…he is not exactly chaste."

Instead of his face falling and being filled with pain as Aragorn had expected Legolas just smiled even wider.

"Of course! Of course I know…..you do not think Aragorn, that I am chaste in the Woods when he is not around, but whatever I do it is Elrohir….always him…who has my heart, and I have his, I know it. I am Silvan, that is how we are and Elrohir….well he is just magnificent!" He threw his head back, his arms wide and laughed at the sky. A merry laugh that filled any who heard it with joy.

"You humans are far too uptight Aragorn!" Legolas continued, "You should try it.."

"I don't think so!" Aragorn said hurriedly lest Legolas get any ideas.

Legolas let out what could only be called a giggle and turned to leave.

"I will go now to greet my unchaste lover. I will see you tomorrow my friend, for I do not think I will be out again today!"

Aragorn watched him go dancing through the undergrowth and he could not help but smile, that was until Legolas called back to him,

"Aragorn, should you ever decide to loosen up, try things the Silvan way, well …..you know where to find me!"


End file.
